Sleeping with the Enemy
by College n Curls
Summary: "Of all the women you could have, you just had to take Hiashi's heir." COMPLETED! SEQUEL POSTED!
1. The Rules of Engagement

**Summary: The number one rule of business, keep your friends close but your enemies closer. That was what her father had always taught her. However, she knew her father never meant for her to get as close as she had to his rival's corporation. This was something that could only end in disaster.**

 **Rating: M. When I say rated M, I mean it. This fic is not meant to be read in public spaces where nosey old ladies may read over your shoulder. Unless you're into that kind of thing.**

 **Pairings: This fic is mainly SasuHina with mentions of some of other pairings down the road. If you don't like SasuHina don't keep reading this. Just run away now. Otherwise, Enjoy.**

 **CCNote: If anyone is willing to be a consistent and reliable beta for this story please send me a PM. This story is powered by red wine and cliches. Enjoy!**

 **The Rules of Engagement**

 **Friday August 27, 2017 1:05pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise Main Office**

 **...**

 _Refresh_

The first, and arguably most important, rule when interacting with others in this world is that one must be competent. Competent could mean a variety of things to different people. To her father, competence meant complete and utter obedience to their mission which was to ensure the continued success of their family.

 _Refresh_

For her older cousin Neji and little sister Hanabi, it meant getting the better end of the deal and the Hyuuga name always rising to the top.

 _Refresh_

To Hinata, it meant someone actually responding to her email.

The computer monitor had remained unchanged for over three hours in spite of her constant vigilance. She sighed as she used her mouse to click the refresh button for the umpteenth time. Nothing. How hard could it possibly be to get a straight answer? She frustratedly pushed away from her desk and turned limply in her spinning chair. Her hands dangled off the sides as she stared blankly up at the ceiling. Neji always made it look so easy. He had _no_ trouble getting meetings and closing deals. Doors would automatically open when he walked into a room while she was always faced with radio silence. She ran her fingers through her hair as she got up from her chair and began to pace the length of her office.

The entire back wall was nothing but windows that gave a breathtaking view of the bustling city below. Not that she ever had time to look out the window. She heard it was spectacular though based on her best friend Tenten's assessment. No, Hinata mainly kept her eyes glued to her computer screen which remained infuriatingly the same. Dammit. She didn't want to tell her father that she had been blown off again. He was sure to give her another lecture on how the "Hyuuga name was important and as such blah blah blah". Hinata folded her arms over her chest and huffed. Just once she'd like for something to go smoothly.

She glanced at the monitor. Still nothing. Maybe she should call? No, that would just make her look desperate. Hyuugas should never look desperate. Maybe she should send another email? She frowned, that was just as desperate as calling. It couldn't be helped, she needed a response. She stretched her fingers and began to craft yet another email. Who knows, maybe they just didn't get the first one.

 _ **On the behalf of the Hyuuga International Enterprise, we would like to follow up on an inquiry put forth by the Uchiha Corporation...**_

She reread each line of the email and double checked that the address was correct, just as she hit the send button her cell phone rang. Tenten's picture popped up on the screen and her upbeat ring tone brightened the otherwise dreary atmosphere of the office. Hinata smiled as she slid her finger across the screen to answer the call, Tenten always seemed to have the best timing.

"Hey, Hina!" Tenten's voice shouted happily through the phone that Hinata had put on speaker. "You have been trapped in that boring old office all day. When are you going to come out to play with me?"

Hinata looked around at her office. The empty white walls lacked any personal effects and the large desk in front of her that had paperwork strewn across it haphazardly was indeed boring.

"Oh, I don't know. There's still a lot of work I need to take care of here first." Hinata replied. She hit the refresh button. Still nothing.

"You're coming out tonight, it's Friday, you haven't been out since you-know-who, and I won't take no for answer!"

"I really can't-"

"Ah bububuh! Not taking no for answer, besides Ino will be there and there's a certain someone here that wants to see you!"

"Hey, Hina! I'm back!" A cheery voice giggled and Hinata looked at her phone like it was a foreign object.

"Sakura?" Hinata asked, barely able to contain her astonishment and the voice on the other end squealed.

"Yes! It's me! I'm here on business and I don't know how long we will be staying so you have to come out!"

"I don't know-"Hinata began as she clicked refresh again.

"Pleeeaaaaasse!" Sakura whined and when Hinata sighed the woman on the other end let out a whoop of victory.

"Great! I'll text you the details!" Tenten piped back in and her phone once again went silent.

Hinata smiled to herself. She really did need to get out more. Staring at the same white walls could be taxing on a person. Every morning she arrived before her staff and left well after the custodian had completed their rounds. Hanabi usually had to peel her off her keyboard to make her come home on the weekends. She didn't want to disappoint her father though. Everything needed to be done to his exact specifications. Failure to do so was not something he took lightly.

 _Refresh_

…

 **Friday, August 27 2017, 6:35 pm**

 **Mystic**

… **.**

The music was loud and the lights were low. Few people milled around the dancefloor but the night was still quite young and there was little doubt that soon there would barely be room to stand. Hinata seethed as she ordered a drink from the bartender and slid onto one of the empty barstools. She needed something strong, really strong. She had gotten to the location Tenten had talked about a bit...early. An entire hour early actually. After sending a third email she finally got a response and it certainly was not what she expected.

 _ **The terms with which the previous two emails were sent are not ones we are interested in compromising at this time. Until our conditions are met, U.C. Will be unable to continue correspondence.**_

 _ **SU**_

Hinata had never wanted to punch anything so bad. She had spent the better part of the day condensing her father's proposal to a bid that the Uchiha's had placed. She had poured over the spreadsheets and meeting notes in an attempt to convey the terms of the bid in a way that could be shared in something as simple as an email. Then she sat chained to her desk, eagerly awaiting a response that when it arrived made her grit her teeth. He hadn't even gone into detail as to _what_ the issue was, instead, he just blew her off. She had thought of sending a passive aggressive email in response detailing just how generous their terms were but thought better of it. While every fiber in her being wanted to, this bid had too much money hanging in the balance to burn bridges. It was best if she just waited until Monday to tell Neji of her difficulties and ask for tips on handling this bid. Not wanting to stew in her failure any longer, she headed directly to the location that Tenten had sent without changing out of her office clothes. She hoped that she would be in a better head space by the time her friends arrived.

The bartender placed a glass of dark liquid and a napkin in front of her and she was torn from her anxious thoughts. Eagerly she allowed the bitter liquid to flow down her throat in an effort to relax from the stress of the day. When she was about halfway through her drink she noticed that on the napkin was a number messily scrawled in blue ink. Hinata looked up at the sparsely populated bar to see a man with dark brown hair flash a broad smile and wave at her. Hinata sent what she thought looked like a smile back, carefully removed the napkin from under her glass, and discreetly crumpled it up in her hand under the bar. The man who had sent the note seemed to be none the wiser of its disposal for he continued to throw smiles her way. She did her best to ignore him but every ten minutes he seemed to move down a seat or two.

Hinata raised her glass to take another sip and frowned when nothing but ice hit her lips. Without realizing it, she had already finished. She raised her hand to get the bartender's attention and they quickly delivered another drink. This one was much stronger than the first and for that, she would have to remember to tip the bartender extra. The man who had sent the note was still making his way closer and closer, she could feel his eyes analyzing her eagerly. She shifted uncomfortably in her own seat and did her best not to make eye contact. As he got three seats away she ordered yet another drink.

"Hey, beautiful!" The man yelled over the loud music. "What's someone like you doing in a place like this?"

Sensing that the best course of action was to not say anything, Hinata swirled her straw in her drink and ignored his statement. Maybe he would lose interest if she pretended to be mute. Just as the man began to open his mouth again to get her attention, another man stepped in and took the empty seat between them. His jaw was set tight, dark hair contrasted sharply with his smooth pale skin, and an intimidating aura rolled off of him in waves. Judging by his well-tailored suit, it appeared that he was just getting off of work as well. He spared a short glance in her direction, causing her to gulp and look away. The interloper motioned to get the bartender's attention completely ignoring the shocked expression on the face of the man beside him.

"Hey dude, we were just talking here." The man said in a fake affable voice. He attempted to place a hand on the intruder's shoulder but the murderous vibes that surrounded the man made him rethink that course of action. He moved away from the man and slid into the empty bar stool on Hinata's other side. The raven haired woman glanced at the time on her cellphone and cursed herself for coming so early.

"Anyway, before we were rudely interrupted-" the man said, leaning in close and boldly placing a hand on her knee under the bar.

"I-I-I have a boyfriend!" Hinata sputtered quickly as a blush began to spread over her cheeks but the man was not deterred.

"There's no need to be shy, beautiful. He can't be that great if he left you all alone here." He said, moving his hand higher up her thigh. "Why don't you and I go somewhere to get to know each other better?"

"No, I'm fine here." Hinata pushed his persistent hand away but he only used it to grab her upper arm and attempted to pull her away.

"C'mon beautiful-"

"She said no." The dark haired male on her other side spoke up without looking in their direction. The other man let go of her arm and glared.

"So what are you? Her _boyfriend_?" He sneered. The raven haired man turned looked Hinata up and down, cold obsidian eyes analyzing every detail of her appearance. If it were even possible his eyes seemed to darken as he took in her every feature in a primal, calculating way. Heat pooled on her face and in the pit of her stomach. After a pregnant pause, he finished his assessment and took another sip of his drink.

"No."

Hinata looked back and forth between the two men as though she were watching a tennis match. Which one would blink first? In the end, the pushy brunette seemed to see this as a fight not worth continuing and slunk off to the dance floor to find easier prey. Hinata watched him go, a sense of relief washing over her with every step he took. She placed a hand over her fluttering heart and took a big gulp of her drink to calm her nerves. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that her savior, if he could even be called that, had finished his first drink and was on to another one. He seemed to have completely forgotten her existence at his side which was perfectly fine with her. Being ignored was something she was used to.

She glanced down at her phone screen and swiped to check the time. Her friends should be arriving soon. She just had to hold out until then. She took another sip of her drink and scrolled through her emails once again. Nothing much had changed in her inbox but she had received several pointed reminders from her father's secretary of a business luncheon early tomorrow afternoon with her father and cousin. She frowned as her thumb hovered over the rude email she had received from the Uchiha Corporation and felt her mood darken further. Her father would surely want to know how far along she was on the Uchiha inquiry tomorrow and would be in for a disappointment when he heard how she had been blown off. Briefly, she again debated sending a response but decided that it was best to not email while drunk.

She was beginning to feel a fuzzy pressure building behind the forefront of her temple, alerting her to the fact that she had been much too hasty with her first two drinks. Sighing, she put the phone down and looked around the bar. She had been here plenty of times before but it never failed to make her feel out of her element. The music seemed to have risen in volume and the lights had gotten even darker. Already people were filing into the club and filling up the dance floor. Strobe lights bounced off of sequins and leather, painfully reminding her of her frumpy black blazer that was much too hot to wear inside of a club. She watched as bodies gyrated against each other easily to the beat of the music and wondered just how they got their hips to move that way. She was swaying in time to the music on her barstool when she felt a tap on her right shoulder.

She turned around and was immediately faced with a pair of stern black eyes. His eyes pointedly looked at what she presumed was something behind her. What the heck did he want? She attempted to return to her drink only to feel an arm wrap around her shoulders and pull her close. His fingers tightened around the loose material of her blazer as he pulled her in. Too close, much too close. She tensed as she felt his liquor laced breath tickle her ear.

"I helped you. Now you help me." He whispered seriously in her ear. He let her go and returned to his drink.

Hinata chanced a furtive glance in the direction she'd seen the man look. There was a tall blonde woman at the other end of the bar casting death glares at her and stirring her drink with her straw angrily. Was he trying to use her to dodge this woman? Hinata turned back to him with an incredulous expression. He merely smirked, unfazed by her confusion, and smoothly tucked some of her hair behind her ear. His fingertips brushed her cheeks and she flinched as a spark shot through them. He did not appear bothered by her reaction, instead choosing to rub his thumb over her increasingly red skin. Behind them, Hinata heard the loud scraping of a barstool accompanied by the dull thud of glass hitting wood.

"Now we're even." He said and immediately dropped his hand and ordered another drink.

Hinata felt her infuriating blush finally begin to subside when he began ignoring her once more. Where in the world were her friends? She could leave the bar and go find somewhere else to mill about but them she'd run the risk of running into that pushy guy from before. The sound of yet another drink being placed in front of her made her look up to see a redhead with multiple facial piercings giving her the eye from five seats away. It was pink with a salt rim, and from the smell of it, undoubtedly fruity. Her heart sank as she imagined another uncomfortable exchange. Suddenly, a pale hand took the drink and slid their own her way in exchange. The man downed the bright drink in a few short gulps, all the while maintaining eye contact with the redhead that had sent it. Hinata smiled inwardly as she sipped the much less vibrant, overtly bitter drink in front of her. They were not so even now. She peered over the glass at the man sitting next to her, his once impassive face was now scrunched in a grimace from downing such an offensively sweet drink so quickly. He certainly didn't seem so intimidating now. Her phone vibrated loudly on the bar top taking her attention away from the frowning man.

 _We are running late! Sorry! - Tenten_

Hinata sighed, of course, they would be running late. She ran her finger over the rim of her glass. Her friends were never known to be the most prompt individuals.

"Your boyfriend standing you up?" The man next to her asked with a brand new less fruity drink in hand.

"No, my friends are just running late." She replied confidently and the man raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Look over there at the right end of the bar." The man directed and she looked over to where she was told. A man that appeared to be just a bit younger than her father was hyper-focused on everything but _her_. What made this guy think that he'd buy her a drink? "That guy over there is going to try to buy you another drink in 3..2..."

Hinata's eyes widen when another voraciously girly drink, this time iridescent green, was handed her way with a number written on the napkin. The bartender pointed a thumb in the direction of the sender and sure enough, the man next to her had been correct in his prediction. The man looked up from his phone and when they made eye contact, hurriedly looked down again. She reached for the glass reluctantly only to have it taken away from her.

"Wha-" she started although grateful she didn't have to drink it.

"Don't take drinks from men unless you plan on fucking them later." He answered and drank down half of the glass.

The petite woman blushed and nodded. She had never really had to think about that before. Usually, her friends were always around and they were the ones that men bought drinks for. Why was tonight so different? She ran a nervous hand through her hair. She was sure she didn't look any different than normal...

"Thank you." She said and the man next to here just gave her a curious look. It appeared as though he were about to say something when a woman with curly silver hair and a skintight red dress inserted herself between them. She boldly placed a hand on his arm.

"Hey, my friend over there thinks you look really cute. Why don't you come over and join our table?" She asked seductively, excessively batting her eyelashes the entire time.

"Not interested." The man replied blandly, clearly unfazed at her attempts to flirt. The woman looked at Hinata and her target as though in disbelief that someone so handsome would be interacting with a frumpy office woman.

"Your loss." She said with a shrug of her shoulders and moved on to relay the defeat to her friend.

"Is it always so busy?" The man huffed to no one in particular and Hinata felt the corners of her lips upturn into a smile. "Is there anywhere in this town to get a drink and not be hassled?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip and glanced at her phone which still lay dormant on the bar top. Tenten and the others were now over an hour late and there would probably be a long line outside of the club by the time they arrived. She glanced back over at the guy beside her who was rejecting yet another suitor that approached him. He didn't seem to enjoy the extra attention at all, something she could deeply empathize with. She could always return to the club when her friends sent her a text. Taking a deep breath she tapped him on the shoulder and pointed towards the exit. He raised an eyebrow but followed her out none the less.

… **.**

 **Friday, August 27, 9:00 pm**

 **Hydrangea Park**

… **.**

"This certainly isn't busy." The raven haired man said as he clumsily popped open the tab of a beer, the white foam gushing out from the top of the can and spilling over his hand. Luckily he had previously removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves so there was no mess.

Hinata smiled at his mistake as she removed her stifling blazer, sat on the park bench, and kicked off her black loafers. She placed the convenience store bag next to her and pulled out a beer for herself. Her eyes slid close as she pressed the cold aluminum to her warm forehead. The alcohol she had partaken in earlier was starting to catch up with her. Even though the night was relatively cool her skin still felt like it was on fire. After a moment of futile attempting to cool herself down, she opened the can and allowed the smooth contents to run down her throat.

"Do you usually drink in kiddie parks in the middle of the night?" The man asked sarcastically with a smirk. Hinata crossed her arms over her chest and frowned as she remembered what had put her in such a bad mood in the first place.

"Only when I'm angry." She replied, her frown deepening. "I can't drink at home. Father and the elders wouldn't allow it."

"Father?" The man snorted and took another sip of his beer. "Aren't you an adult? Just do whatever you want."

"It's not about being an adult. It's about respecting the wishes of your family." Hinata felt her cheeks begin to flush once more.

"Respect is earned, not given." He countered and silence fell between them.

The two of them stared at each other unblinkingly in the light of a flickering street lamp, unwilling to back down from their stance. Hinata noted absently that his eyes seemed vaguely familiar. She was sure she had seen them before but she couldn't quite place where. She finally broke their eye contact and finished off the beer she was holding. She moved to reach into the bag to grab another one but was stopped by the man lazily holding a can out to her.

"Thank you." She mumbled and cracked open the can.

"You are interesting." The man smirked and Hinata blinked in surprise.

"What? Why?" She asked, flustered by his statement. He took a sip of his beer, mirth dancing in his eyes as he took in her discomfort.

"For starters," He said, taking a step closer with each word. " You have an odd habit of drinking alone in parks. You show up to a bar alone in your work clothes. You get hit on by men but don't understand the first rule of engagement when it comes to social interactions between men and women."

Hinata blushed as the man leaned down and placed both hands on the back of the bench behind her head. His warm breath washed over her, ladened with the smell of liquor. She was sure her breath smelled the same. His dark eyes kept her frozen in place, unable to squirm or move, mesmerized by the unparalleled depth within them.

"Don't take drinks from men unless you plan to fuck them."

 _ **To Be Continued...**_


	2. Goodbye

**CCNote: I was not expecting the outpouring of support that the first chapter of this story was able to garner. Because of that, I am updating early. Enjoy!**

 **Goodbye**

…

 **Friday, August 27 2017 9:10 pm**

 **Hydrangea Park**

…

 _"Don't take drinks from men unless you plan to fuck them"_

Hinata had never been so embarrassed in her life. Her entire face flushed bright red and she immediately covered her face with her hands. The man in front of her drunkenly laughed. It was a hearty laugh, as though he had not seen anything so humorous in a long time. She peeked out from between her fingers and it only made him laugh harder. He pushed away from her and sat down on the bench.

"Did you think I was going to kiss you?" He chuckled and took a long sip from his beer can.

"N-no!" Hinata stammered unconvincingly even to her own ears. She moodily returned the can of beer to him and opened a new one of her own. She furiously drank half of it to hide her embarrassment.

"Yea right, Konoha girls are all the same." He snorted and relaxed further into the bench.

"What are you talking about?" Hinata swallowed and narrowed her eyes at him. He cocked his head towards her, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.

"All Konoha girls want me to kiss them." He replied. Hinata felt her blush of embarrassment immediately dissipate and was quickly replaced by irritation.

"You think much too highly of yourself..." She said as she rolled her eyes. "What was your name again?"

"Sasuke." He answered but the smirk of arrogance didn't disappear from his features. Briefly, his name rang familiar in her mind but she pushed it aside. She had known at least three different Sasukes in high school, though none were so arrogant as this one.

"Okay _Sasuke_ , not everyone is like that." She mumbled as she rummaged around in her purse for her phone.

"Is it because you have a _boyfriend?_ "

"No," She replied distantly, too preoccupied with her search. When she did manage to find it she swiped it open to check her messages but found none. She sighed, the battery was almost dead too. "I...I actually don't have one. Not anymore."

A dark cloud came over her, thoroughly replacing her embarrassment with regret. Her shoulders slumped and she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. The man named Sasuke seemed to pick up on her morose aura and cleared his throat uncomfortably. She rested her chin on the top of her knees and took a small sip of beer.

"Alright then ugh-"

"Hinata."

"Okay Hinata, why are you so different? What does a 'Hinata' like?" He asked.

"I don't know..." Hinata mumbled as she tried to think of something that made her different from all of the Konoha girls he seemed to have encountered. She didn't really find herself to be that unique of a person. "I like to garden."

"So I'm guessing bugs don't freak you out?" He questioned sardonically and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course not! It is vital that a good gardener coexists with the bugs in her garden. They are very important parts of the ecosystem!" Hinata reprimanded, channeling the spirit of her childhood friend and expert entomologist, Shino. She felt her blush return to her cheeks when Sasuke merely smirked at her slightly passionate flare up.

"I like tomatoes." He stated blandly.

Hinata blinked at the dry statement as he stared back at her. His face was deadly serious, much too serious to be talking about a fruit. She felt her face twitch and then a smile slowly emerged. Before she knew it she was laughing unreasonably but it felt good. As she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye she noticed that Sasuke had a genuine, albeit minuscule, smile on his face. It wasn't a smirk or a grimace, the only two expressions he'd appeared capable of, but a real smile. It only served to make her laugh even harder.

… **.**

 **Friday August 27 , 2017 11:25p**

 **Abekawa Bridge**

… **.**

"You don't have *hic* to walk me home." Hinata slurred as she swayed slightly on the last step up to the pedestrian bridge. Sasuke grabbed her upper arm to keep her from falling backward and pulled her close to his side.

"You're drunk." He said and Hinata narrowed her eyes at him. She poked him on his shoulder and tried to take her blazer from his possession but he only held it further away from her grasp. That wasn't a fair statement. He had drunk just as much, if not more than she had.

"So are you uu uu." She huffed and began to walk forward but tripped over her own two feet. Sasuke roughly grabbed her again before she could hit the pavement.

"If you fall off of this damn bridge, I'm not jumping in after you." He reprimanded.

Despite the harshness of his words, the low tenor of his voice and close proximity made her blush. She bit her lower lip and looked away but looped her left arm through his right to keep steady. Cars bustled past them, their headlights giving the pair only momentary reprises from the darkness that surrounded them. Hinata looked to her right at the river that glistened with the refracted light from the moon. She never usually got to enjoy peaceful nights like this, especially not in a company such as this. The pair walked in perfect lock step with one another as though they had taken this path many times before. Hinata felt her blush receded and her level of comfort increase with each step forward.

"This bridge has not changed at all." Sasuke mumbled and Hinata nodded her head in agreement.

"I used to come here when I was younger. Just to think." She sighed and felt the vibration through her arm from a contained chuckle.

"I did too."

"Why?" Hinata asked bluntly, her inebriated state making her feel bold enough to ask such a personal question.

Sasuke dropped his arm and walked to the railing that overlooked the river. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at the dark water below.

"When I first came here, I was running away from home." He began and Hinata stepped closer to stand beside him. "I wasn't very secure then. Truly I was just being an obnoxious child in hindsight but I just wanted my parents' attention. They were always focused on my older brother's accomplishments and accolades. When they weren't focused on him, they constantly compared me to him. I just wanted them to notice me for me. I thought the best way to do that was to make them see what it was like to not have me around."

Sasuke turned to her and smirked at the worried expression on her face. He cupped her cheek with his hand and rubbed a thumb over her cheek, leaving warm trails with every stroke. She leaned into his touch.

"Don't look like that." He chuckled. "I got as far as the foot of the bridge when my brother found me and dragged me back home. My mom went on a tirade when we got back."

Hinata smiled and turned to lean against the railing.

"Well, I don't think you have changed much from when you were a kid." She giggled drunkenly and he quirked an eyebrow at her. "You're still rather obnoxious."

His smirk widened as he turned her back around to face him and pressed her against the railing. Hinata's breath hitched as he allowed their jackets to fall from his grasp and onto the pavement. Her heart rate quickened as he held her shoulders and leaned down slowly. She stood frozen, eyes wide, as his lips captured hers. She hadn't been kissed in so long that the act of another's person's lips upon her stunned her body. This kiss was _different_ from what she had previously experienced. She couldn't quite place her finger on why, her mind was much too fuzzy for those kinds of analytics, but the spark that she felt when his lips pressed against her was undeniable. Just as soon as it began, it ended. Sasuke backed away, an uncharacteristically sheepish look on his face. Her eyes were still wide as she pressed her fingertips to her still tingling lips.

The sensation spread from her lips to the tips of her toes. Her entire body felt as though it was electrified from the short encounter. That was _odd_. How was it possible that this man was able to elicit such a strange reaction. What exactly was this? She took a step closer to him. Was it a one-off thing? Would she feel the same if she were to kiss him a second time? She closed the distance between them, pressing her chest up against him, and standing on her toes to reach his lips. She barely brushed against his lips but a much more intense shock ran through her from their second try. She tried to take a step back but Sasuke wrapped his arms around her and held her close. His lips touch hers for the third time, the sensation was immediate and fierce.

This was not a kiss. This was something else entirely, something dangerous. One of his arms let her go and a hand tangled itself in her hair. He licked her bottom lip as though asking for permission to deepen the kiss. In the back of her mind, she knew that doing so was treacherous but she wasn't prepared for what became her undoing. His tongue expertly explored every inch of her mouth, she struggled to keep above the flood of sensations that crashed over her but it was no use. She had never been kissed in such a way before. Her hands gripped the front of his shirt in a desperate effort to remain standing. She was utterly unprepared. When their kiss finally ended, he looked down at her with eyes that were much darker than the night sky above them.

"Don't go home."

… **.**

 **Saturday, August 28, 2017 12:45 am**

 **Unknown Hotel**

… **.**

Hinata gasped as her back roughly hit the door to Sasuke's hotel room. As soon as the door had shut, he had taken complete possession of her body. The kisses, the touches, they all made her feel lightheaded and out of control of her own actions. It was a feeling she wasn't quite sure how to grasp but she knew she wanted some semblance of control. She pushed him off of her and he stumbled back a bit, bumping into a side table and knocking over the lamp on top of it. It fell to the floor with a crash that went ignored by both occupants. Hinata felt her center warm at the mix of surprise and lust on his face. She wondered how long she could keep that look on his face.

Slowly she approached him and stood between his legs. Sasuke leaned down to kiss her but she swiftly avoided his lips. She looked up at him coyly and tugged at the tie around his neck to loosen it. The silk slipped from under his collar easily, falling to the floor in a much less violent way than the lamp had. He laid hot kisses on her neck as she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Her hands shook with an intoxicating confliction of nervousness and excitement. He was patient with her up until the last button came undone. When his shirt joined his tie on the floor, he grabbed her by the waist and pressed something hard against her stomach. Hinata felt her cheeks flush redder than they ever had before as he smirked in satisfaction. Curiously, she ran her hands over his broad shoulders, relishing the feel of his warm skin beneath her fingertips. He shivered under touch and she tried to retract her hand but he grabbed her wrist and kept her firmly in place.

He pulled her even closer and captured her lips with his. This time she was much more prepared to deal with the onslaught that kissing him entailed. His tongue guided hers gently and encouraged her to explore his mouth as thoroughly as he seemed to enjoy hers. Quickly they fell into a rhythm, only occasionally coming up for air when it was absolutely necessary. His hands slid down her waist and thighs and back up again in a tantalizingly slow manner. When she squirmed, he smirked over her lips and grabbed her butt with both hands. She gasped and returned the gesture with a much more feverish kiss. His fingers fiddled with the zipper on the back of her skirt and slowly unzipped it. The loose skirt fell into a puddle of previously discarded clothing at her feet.

His hand cupped her damp center, causing her to break their kiss. She sucked in a deep breath as he pushed her underwear to the side and gently teased her clit with his thumb. Her eyes slid close and she bucked involuntarily into his hand. He chuckled at her reaction but did not give her time to recover from the surprise. He slid his middle finger into her wet pussy and she sucked in a sharp breath. His finger curled slightly inside of her, reaching a spot that she would never be able to get to on her own.

"More." She mewled lustfully as he hips met his finger thrust for thrust.

"So fucking tight." He groaned as he added his index finger.

Hinata allowed her head to fall into the crook of his shoulder as he continued to roughly pump his fingers in and out of her. The pleasure he was sending through her body was more than she could handle when he began using his thumb to tease her clit in time with his thrust. Quickly she became undone as his fingers coaxed an orgasm out of her. Her walls clenched his fingers as she came for the first time in a long time. Her knees went weak and she felt herself slump forward, her entire body whirring from its recent release. Sasuke didn't let her fall too far, instead, sliding off of the end table and scooping her up into his arms. Hinata squeaked when she felt her legs fly up from under her and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"This is far from over, _Hinata_." He muttered huskily into her ear and she felt her body quiver with anticipation.

… **.**

 **Saturday, August 28 2017 9:00 am**

 **Unknown Hotel**

… **.**

Hinata groaned as she finally began to regain consciousness. Her head was pounding painfully in her skull, reminding her of the regretful decision of drinking way too much the night before. She tried to open her eyes but her eyelids proved to be much too heavy for such an endeavor. Giving up, she curled into the warmth to her right but froze when she felt something hard. Immediately the events of the previous night flooded her senses, causing to groan at how reckless she had been. The warm body chuckled and ran a hand through her hair.

"You're finally awake." He said accompanied by the sound of rapid typing.

She slowly opened her eyes to look up at the unfamiliar man she'd somehow allowed herself to sleep with. Although they really hadn't done much sleeping. Her limbs felt heavy and her center was sore but her body was relaxed despite the discomfort. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not seem to be tired in any sense. He looked just as comfortable shirtless as he had in a suit. His back was propped up against a pile of pillows as he typed away on the computer in his lap. Outside of his messy hair, he looked utterly perfect. Upon further inspection, she noticed that that wasn't true. Hinata felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as she spotted a bright red hickey on his otherwise perfectly pale skin. She brought the hotel sheets up over her head to hide her embarrassment and shock. She had never done anything like this before. How had she allowed herself to do this? This was something Ino or Tenten did. Their escapades and exploits were always a guilty pleasure she enjoyed hearing about over brunch. Their descriptions of the walk of shame were enough to dissuade her from trying anything so scandalous. Her father would have her head if the press ever caught wind of her doing such a thing.

"Why are you hiding now?" A deep voice chuckled next to her as they tried to pull the sheet out of her iron clad grip. "You certainly weren't this bashful last night."

Hinata shivered involuntarily as she remembered _exactly_ how bashful she had not been. The thought of how bold she had been only further served to deepen her embarrassment. After a moment she stopped pulling on the sheet and she heard him shut his laptop. The bed shifted slightly as he put his laptop on the floor. Her grip on the sheet lessened as she anticipated his full departure. That was a mistake. He climbed over her snatched the sheet from her head but allowed the rest of her body to remain covered.

"You are being ridiculous." He said as they played tug of war with her sheet.

"I-I-I I've never done anything like this!" She squeaked when she finally gave up on trying to wrest the sheet from his grasp.

"Really?" He replied with a smirk. "Could have fooled me."

Before she could retaliate the room was filled with heavy metal music by the night stand. Hinata knew that ringtone anywhere. Hanabi was trying to call her. Sasuke reached over to the nightstand to grab her phone and handed it to her. It was Hanabi sure enough. She glanced at the battery level and noticed that it was full. She didn't remember putting it on a charger though. She looked over at Sasuke who just shrugged his shoulders. Hinata sat up and clutched the sheet to her chest as she answered the called.

"Hinata finally!" Hanabi whispered furiously. "I have been trying to call you for hours!"

"I'm sorry I got caught up at-" she started and bit her bottom when she felt Sasuke begin to kiss the space between her neck and shoulder. "at, at the um office!"

"Yea, yea, spare me the excuse. I need you ASAP!"

In the background, Hinata heard Hanabi let out a curse followed by the sound of falling. Hinata frowned as she held the phone closer to her ear.

"Dammit, that was close!"

"Hanabi, where are you?"

"Let's just say I'm stuck in the garden because...reasons..." Hanabi whispered guiltily. Hinata felt her eye twitch. It appeared that she wasn't the only one in the Hyuuga household to have stayed out.

"I'll be home soon. Go hide in the pool house. The gardener will be coming to do his rounds soon."

"Thanks, sis!" Hanabi whispered and hung up the phone.

Hinata wrapped the sheet around her torso and quickly began running around the room to locate her things. The room was a complete and total wreck. There was a shoe in the corner and lacy black panties on the dresser. When she grabbed them they still felt damp, she glanced over at the man in the bed watching her every move closely. She balled the underwear up in her hand and continue her collection. Her shirt lay near the door but she could find her skirt or bra. Sasuke seemed to find her mad dash amusing for he did not lift a finger to help. He was more than content just sitting on the bed watching her run around the room.

"Skirt is in the living room." He informed her when she was already halfway under the bed in search of it.

Hinata nodded and clutched the articles of clothing she did have to her chest as she went in search of it. When she had finally gathered everything, sans bra, she ran back into the bedroom and through the only other door that she assumed led to the bathroom. Slamming the door behind her, she finally shed the sheet she had been holding onto for dear life and put on her clothing from the previous night. When she was dress satisfactory enough, although extremely wrinkled, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and had to do a double-take. She almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. She reached up and gingerly touched the bird's nest that was her hair and winced. This was going to take forever to detangle. She swiftly pulled her hair up into a messy bun but still frowned at her rough handiwork. She then reached for the mouthwash and did a quick gargle and rinse to get the taste of stale liquor and morning breath out of her mouth.

Her phone vibrated again and she looked down to see a new message from Tenten. One of twenty-two unread messages to be exact. Hinata sighed as she felt a sinking feeling in te pit of her stomach. She had selfishly forgotten all about her friends last night, she had clearly worried them. She slumped down onto the toilet and held her head in her hands. She needed a plan of action. A way to explain to everyone where she'd been any she hadn't answered any calls. She also needed to figure out a way _out_ of this hotel room and away from lust-incarnate. She frowned. She was an adult. She had nothing to be ashamed of, he certainly wasn't. All she needed to do was channel Ino's confidence and Tenten's courage and she would be alright. She took a deep breath and quickly opened the bathroom door before she lost her nerve.

Sasuke was still sitting on the bed where she'd left him although he had now reopened his laptop and was typing away. Hinata gulped and took a step into the room. He glanced up at her briefly but returned to whatever he was working on.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked distractedly, his brow creasing to concentrate on whatever was on his screen.

"Yea." She answered softly as she tried to keep some semblance of confidence and force in her voice.

"I assume that we won't see each other again." He said blandly, not looking up once. "That's usually how these things work."

Hinata frowned. Somehow the idea of never seeing him again didn't quite sit right. It couldn't be helped though. It was doubtful that they would cross paths again and at the moment she had no desire to pursue anything more permanent with anyone. For what it was though, for what she had experience for just one night, it had been exhilarating.

"G-goodbye, Sasuke." She said with a small bow and he finally looked up from his computer screen. A brief look of surprise and a hint of something else flitted across his face but his expression quickly returned to its normal state of impassivity.

"Goodbye, Hinata."

… **.**

 **Saturday, August 28 2017** **11:51 am**

 **Restaurant Assoscia**

… **.**

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Hanabi chanted repeated as she jogged in place in the elevator.

Even though Hinata did not exactly share in her little sister's mantra, the feeling was mutual. The eldest kept pressing the close button to what could quite possibly be labeled the slowest elevator. They were going to make it to this meeting by the skin of teeth. Her father was undoubtedly disappointed by their lack of presence based on the phone call of nervous secretary. Hinata could only imagine the tongue lashing they would receive at the conclusion of this meeting. From the tone of the secretary, this was not to be an ordinary luncheon. She glanced at her anxious little sister and took a deep breath. Whatever it was, It had to be something important for him to allow Hanabi to attend.

As the elevator made its slow ascent, Hinata checked her appearance her reflection of the silver doors. She adjusted the collar of her blouse and tugged at the edge of her suit jacket. There was not a wrinkle in sight but she couldn't help the uneasy feeling that continued to mount within her. The elevator doors finally dinged open to reveal an elegant hallway full of marble and gold trim. A service man took a low bow when they exited and led them down the long hallway, their footsteps echoing ominously against the walls.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Hanabi whispered under breath as they approached the double doors that held their meeting place.

Hinata took a deep breath and placed a hand on the ornate gold doorknob only to have Hanabi place a hand over hers. Hinata looked down at her littler sister, perplexed as to why she would be willing to stall even a moment longer.

"Don't tell Dad I was out okay?" She said hastily, her eyes darting everywhere else but at Hinata. "Please?"

"You were out?" Hinata replied with a small, knowing smile. She herself didn't want to be ousted for her own indiscretions.

Hanabi smiled broadly and gave her a quick hug before opening the door. Inside of the room, her father and Neji were already seated stoically next to one another behind an elaborately set banquette table. Neji smoothly rose and bowed to the sisters' entrance but their father remained seated, his face an unreadable mask. Hinata slid into a seat beside Neji while Hanabi sat on the other side of their father. She looked across the expansively set room and noticed that the banquette table had been set for four extra people. She quirked an eyebrow at Neji and he tapped her knee under the table, their signal that he would fill her in later. Just as the sisters had settled into their seats, the door to the banquette hall opened again and all four Hyuugas were on their feet.

Hinata placed one hand over the other in front of her and bowed gracefully to their new occupants in practiced time with her family members. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the opposite end of the room as she raised up from her bow. In front of her were one woman and three men standing in the doorway. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach as she made eye contact with one of the men who appeared just as shocked as she was. Her heart rate increased as they came closer and closer. All of the blood drained out of her body as she pinched the inside of her arms to wake herself up but to no avail. This was not a dream. Standing before her was none other than the man whose bed she had just left this morning. This had to be a mistake. There was no way that this was happening! Her father cleared his throat before speaking up to acknowledge the new arrivals.

"Welcome. I am so pleased that you and your family were able to find or meeting place so easily." Hisashi said smoothly and waved a hand in the direction of the family of four as he turned to his own. "May I introduce Fugaku, Mikoto, Itachi, and Sasuke of the Uchiha Corporation."

"We look forward to working closely with you and your family." The Uchiha patriarch said with a swift bow. Her father returned his bow and smiled tightly.

"Likewise."

 _ **To be continued...**_

.


	3. If Only

**CCNote: This chapter was brought to you by a copious amount of red wine and Dancing Queen played on repeat. Sorry if this chapter is rough, still looking for a Beta. Enjoy!**

 **If Only**

… **.**

 **Saturday, August 28 2017 11:52 am**

 **Restaurant Associa**

… **.**

Sasuke sighed as he waited for the elevator to open. He had absolutely no interest in whatever business lunch his father was dragging him into. He had a thousand other tasks he needed to take care of and they all required more of his attention than this schmoozing session. Itachi tapped him on the shoulder when the elevator doors finally parted and all four Uchihas stepped into an overtly ostentatious hallway. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the overt attempt at an opulent power move. It was just like Hisashi Hyuuga to flaunt his wealth in such a way. His phone vibrated loudly in his pocket and his father sent him a pointed glare. Ignoring the dirty look, he took his phone out to see yet another missed text message from his assistant. He frowned, what could she possibly want at a time like this?

The doors to where their meeting was to take place opened and immediately he regretted entering the room. Bowing the same way she had only a few hours ago was Hinata... _Hyuuga_. On his right, his mother gasped. What she was surprised by he wasn't quite sure. Since when did his mother associate with Hyuugas? When Hinata rose from her bow, their eyes instantly caught and he watched as all of the color drained from her face. He looked away from her and tried to focus on the hollow pleasantries being exchanged. Even though seeing her was an unexpected development, he would not allow it to impede whatever business his father was trying to conduct. Not even a ridiculously bashful, doe-eyed Hyuuga would get in the way of that.

"Please be seated. The meal will be served shortly." Hisashi directed and the Uchihas made their way into the seats provided for them.

Fugaku pulled out a chair to his left for Mikoto to sit in before taking his place in front of Hisashi. Itachi sat on Fugaku's other side, leaving the last available seat open to be directly in front of Hinata. She looked like a deer caught at a headlight at his approach and he would have found the expression to be amusing if it were occurring in any other context but this one. When they were all finally seated, two servers emerged with carts ladened with various drink choices. If only one of those choices were a stiff glass of whiskey. Given the circumstances, he was forced to settle for water.

"Your daughters have grown to be very beautiful, Hisashi." Mikoto smiled warmly at both Hyuuga women as she took a sip of tea. "I can see Hikari in both of them"

"You are too kind." Hisashi replied stiffly while his daughters both bowed respectfully from their seats in Mikoto's direction.

"You are much too humble." Mikoto said and placed her tea cup back into its saucer.

"So about this consultation on the Mist assets." Fugaku interjected calmly, not one for small talk.

Hisashi cleared his throat and eight servers approached and placed black leather binders in front of everyone. Sasuke cracked open his binder and slowly rifled through its contents. The room was silent as the occupants consumed the information. Sasuke glanced up from his papers to see Hisashi and Fugaku sitting rigidly, neither one breaking eye contact. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the pissing contest between the two men.

"Father,"Itachi spoke up as he closed his binder. "this is a proposition for-"

" A merger, yes," Fugaku replied. Sasuke closed his binder and leaned back into his chair. So _that_ was what this meeting was all about. "I have yet to be convinced of its necessity."

Hisashi was unfazed by the Uchiha's blunt jab, instead, he clapped his hands twice and motioned to a screen that was being lowered from the ceiling. All of the lights when out in the room as the projector whirred to life. Sasuke glanced over at Hinata who seemed to have now made it her mission to ignore that he was even in the room. Hisashi stood and pointed a laser at a rather extensive graph on the screen.

"As you can see from this graph, Mist stocks in weapons, real estate, and aviation are up. They are making more and more aggressive moves to please their shareholders. It has gotten to the point that there are rumors that they plan to start swallowing up some of our smaller competitors." Hisashi explained.

Fugaku interlocked his fingers in thought as he leaned back in his chair.

"I have had this same intelligence presented." Fugaku said. "What does it have to do with us?"

Hisashi smirked and moved the screen to the next graphic. This particular one was quite familiar as Sasuke himself had just gotten it in an email this morning. Sasuke clenched his fists under the table. He was beginning to see the game Hisashi was playing at.

"Uchiha stocks have been on the decline for awhile now. The private sector is much more volatile lately and my sources tell me that there has been internal strife among your ranks."

"Are you are trying to blackmail us into joining you?" Fugaku growled and stood up from his seat, his temper flaring up. Mikoto placed a hand on his forearm in an effort to calm him. "You've invited me here to insult me in front of my family."

"Fugaku, just listen to what he has to say first before jumping to conclusions." She said softly but the Uchiha patriarch was having none of her reason.

"We will not sit here and listen to a damn thing this man has to say."

"I mean no offense to be taken." Hisashi said calmly, unfazed by the escalation of tension. "I only speak the truth. We have the government contracts to bolster your stocks and you have the expansive network with which we may utilize to expand further as well as cement any future government bids. This would edge Mist out of the market and only lend to strengthen our own profits. This is something that would benefit both of us."

"The Uchiha are more than capable of withstanding direct competition with the Mist Corporation. If you are worried about them snatching up your precious contracts then that is a personal problem. It is not something I wish to involve my company in."

"Then you are signing yourself and everyone else up for ruin. The Mist is already in talks with the Sound to merge. The Sound is your direct competition now. There have been rumors of some of their people buying up shares of both of our stocks."

"What are you talking about?" Fugaku growled and Hisashi changed the screen once more.

Fugaku's face turned ashen as he analyzed the stock ticker's constant change on the screen. Twenty-five percent of their shares were rapidly changing hands with associates known to have direct ties with the Sound. Sasuke leaned back in his chair, blood boiling, as he watched their stock get traded around for mere pennies then what it was worth due to the manipulation.

"This manipulation is happening with our stocks as well. They are trying to weaken us just enough so that they will be able to drive down the value and buy up enough shares to have a say in our operations. If we were to merge, what they are currently doing will be useless as we buy back our unsold stocks, restructure, and go public again on the market. Otherwise, we will both keep losing shareholders whose stocks will then be fair game. "

"For all of your calculations and maneuvers you are forgetting one thing in this plan of yours." Fugaku said, finally tearing his eyes away from the screen to look at Hisashi.

"Oh?" Hisashi asked.

"The reason all of this has to be happening in the first place."

The two men stared each other down, the tension in the room mounting with each passing second. Hisashi clapped his hands and the lights turned back on. He then turned back to his audience and motioned towards the door.

"Please, give us a moment."

… **..**

 **Saturday August 28 2017 12:34pm**

 **Restaurant Associa**

… **..**

"Well, _that_ was intense." The younger Hyuuga girl sighed as they made their exit from the room. Sasuke couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.

"Hanabi!" Hinata reprimanded softly but the younger girl just shrugged her shoulders and headed for the elevator.

"Whatever. I'm going to find a vending machine or something. I haven't eaten anything in _hours._ "

"I will escort you." The male Hyuuga who's name he couldn't remember said and Hanabi balked at his statement.

"I'm seventeen years old. I don't need a babysitter!" The girl protested.

"Clearly you do. " he said and placed a hand on top of her head and pushed her forward. "I hope you don't think that your absence went unnoticed by the virtue of your own ability, do you? Hinata, keep look out."

"I need a make a few phone calls." Itachi mumbled as he patted Sasuke's shoulder, phone already in his other hand, scrolling through his extensive contacts list. "Send me a message when they reopen the room."

Sasuke scowled as his so-called brother swiftly slid into the elevator with the two Hyuugas and left him to fend for himself. Hinata stood in front of the elevator, a forced smile on her face as she waved goodbye to her cousin and sister. Her back immediately tensed when the doors shut and she didn't turn around to face him. Inwardly, his mood worsened. Sasuke leaned against the wall opposite the elevators and closed his eyes. He had other things to think about that didn't involve the woman in front of him. Out of sight out of mind right? Unfortunately, his mind kept replaying the events of the night before. Behind his eyelids he watched her writhe underneath him, plump pink lips moaning his name repeatedly. He opened his eyes and frowned, out of sight out of mind certainly wasn't going to work.

"So you are a Hyuuga." He mused aloud as he pushed off of the wall and walked up behind her. She tensed at his encroachment into her personal space.

"And you are an Uchiha." She replied. "More specifically you are the one who has been blowing off my emails."

"The proposition was poor."

Hinata whipped around to face him with a scary look in her eye. She poked him hard in the middle of his chest.

" _Your_ marketing team was the one that sent out the inquiry in the first place." She hissed and Sasuke couldn't help but feel a fire flare up in him at the frustration on her face. He wanted to see just how far he could push this woman.

"I have the final say on all bids." He growled, taking a step forward and causing her to take a step back. "My word supersedes all others."

"The bid was more than generous. You had no grounds with which to stand on to reject it." She responded harshly but gasped when her back hit the cold marble wall behind her.

Briefly, she reminded him of a kitten that had found itself in an outmatched alley fight. The sight only pushed him further into her personal space until their chests were pressed together. She quickly regained her composure and continued to look him dead in the eye.

"At the very least you should have responded the first time."

"Hn. Did I hurt your Hyuuga pride? Hyuugas are used to getting their way." He teased.

"It's called etiquette, something Uchihas all appear to lack."

"So the kitten bites back."

He resisted the urge to laugh when her face turned bright red and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Sensing that if he pushed her much farther she might spontaneously combust, he backed away. It was fortunate that he had when a moment later, the door to their meeting room reopened and his mother poked her head out. She looked at the rather unnerved expression on Hinata's face before turning to look him suspiciously. Sasuke merely shrugged his shoulders to convey his innocence of which he was sure his mother didn't believe.

… **..**

 **Saturday August 28 2017 3:55pm**

 **1045 Wilmington Way: Tenten & Ino Residence**

… **..**

"Wooooooow." Tenten whistled.

Hinata simply nodded as best as she could with her forehead pressed against the cool granite countertop. As soon as her father and Fugaku Uchiha had reached some semblance of a stalemate she had raced over to Ino's house, eager to no longer breathe the same air as Fugaku's second son. How had she allowed herself to let her guard down for the likes of him? The sound of glasses being placed on the stone countertop perked her up slightly. She turned from her forehead to her cheek and sent Ino a weak smile as the blonde set a healthy portion of red wine in front of her.

"Thank you." Hinata said softly and peeled her face off of the countertop to take a small sip.

Tenten reached out from across the counter and ruffled her bangs playfully.

"Well, at least now we know why you hadn't answered any of our calls or text messages last night." The brunette teased.

Hinata blushed as she tried to fix the hair that Tenten had mused. She hadn't told Ino and Tenten _everything,_ just enough for them to get the gist of her internal dilemma. They didn't press or pry when she showed up on their doorstep with a dark cloud of shame hanging over her head. They merely cracked open a much-needed bottle of wine in the middle of the day and declared that it was five o'clock somewhere. After a bottle had been polished off, Hinata found herself recounting the events of the previous night, leaving out the tense occurrence of the business luncheon. She was careful to not identify the man she had been with though. That arrogant, incorrigible, prick of a man! She quickly gulped the red liquid down and slammed her glass on the counter when she had finished.

"Careful Hina! We just got these!" Tenten chuckled as she took the glass from Hinata and carefully filled it back up.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"Don't worry about it. Tenten and I have plenty of embarrassing stories. You've heard them all. It doesn't sound like this was that bad of an encounter." Ino mused thoughtfully. "The summer heat, the cool breeze, the vivacious aura of life. All of that mixing together is enough to make anyone fall in love for a night!"

Hinata and Tenten looked at their day dreaming friend skeptically before sharing a knowing look. Ino was always a hopeless romantic and looked for the positives in everything. It was a wonder that she managed to still retain that optimism with a stubborn realist for a roommate. Hinata shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of wine, she supposed such idealism was required of someone who spent all day in the company of flora.

"Love had nothing to do with it Ino." Tenten chided and the blonde frowned.

"You are such a buzz kill." Ino pouted but grinned when Tenten sent her a playful salute.

"Anyway, I'm just glad you're getting back out there."

"I don't want to be out there. Last night was definitely a mistake." Hinata frowned as she swirled her wine glass pensively.

"Well, it's not like you will ever see him again. No harm, no foul." Tenten comforted when the doorbell rang.

Hinata perked up as Ino ran across the living room of her tiny apartment to answer it. The front door swung open and suddenly the room was filled with high-pitched squeals and giggles. Sakura Haruno had finally returned to Konoha. Hinata smiled as she watched Sakura and Ino simultaneously hug each other and hurl insults. Hinata wasn't particularly close to Sakura, preferring to spend more time in the less high strung aura of Tenten, but the pink haired woman always livened the mood and rounded out their small group. When the two boisterous women finally calmed down, Sakura skipped over to where the other occupants were. She first gave Tenten a hug before going around the counter and gripping the petite Hyuuga tightly.

"Awwwwwww I missed everyone so much!" Sakura squealed as she finally let Hinata go. "You suck for standing us up last night!"

Hinata blushed and smiled.

"Sorry!"

"Anyway! Guess what!" Sakura announced dramatically as she pulled a bottle of white wine out of her bag. "We can celebrate tonight too! I just got a phone call from my boss! We are staying in Konoha for much longer than anticipated!"

"What?!" Ino shrieked and Sakura nodded her head furiously.

"No lie! I'm going apartment hunting tomorrow!"

Hinata smiled as she watched Ino and Sakura do a happy jig around the kitchen but she knew it didn't quite meet her eyes. Her embarrassment and frustration from the day's events just wouldn't allow her to share in her friends' joy. Tenten seemed to pick up on this and patted Hinata's hand gently.

"You worry too much Hina. Just take the experience for what it was worth and leave it at that."

Hinata nodded and sent Tenten a small, reassuring smile. The brunette retracted her hand and rested her head on it. There was a mischievous glint was in her eyes as she raised her glass to her lips.

"Was it at least good?" Tenten asked bluntly and Hinata felt her face turn bright red.

'Oh god yes.' Hinata thought immediately as she avoided looking at Tenten's suggestive eyebrow wiggles and focused on the women dancing around the kitchen.

It was not just good. No. It had been the best sex she'd ever had, not that she had that much experience under her belt anyway but it was true none the less. The sex had been amazing but the person...well, that was something that was lacking. If only he didn't throw her off kilter by his very existence. If only he wasn't so full of himself. If only she didn't feel like she was drowning when he looked at her with those calculating obsidian eyes. If only he wasn't an _Uchiha._ Hinata squeezed her eyes closed and laid her burning face back to its previous position on the countertop. She groaned. Tenten chuckled and patted the top of her head sympathetically.

"I'll take that as a yes."

 **...**

 **Monday, August 30 2017 6:00 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprises**

 **...**

Hinata smiled to herself as she walked through the automatic doors of their headquarters and went straight for the elevators. The sky was clear, there had been no traffic on the way to work, and oddly enough she had actually gone to sleep for the first time in forever. When she'd woken up she couldn't explain it but she was in an abnormally good mood for a Monday morning. Even Hanabi had taken notice as she scowled from across the table over her cereal. Hinata giggled as she remembered her sister's sour look as Neji made sure to escort the youngest Hyuuga to school. Mondays were the bane of Hanabi's existence and with her recent unexplained escapades, it was best that someone at least made sure she walked through the front doors of the school. Shaking her head in amusement, Hinata repressed the up button. The elevator was rather running slow this morning. No matter, she was early like she always was. It wouldn't hurt to spare a few moments of her day waiting. Behind her, an unfamiliar man and woman dressed in dark suits and armed with stacks of manilla folders walked up. Hinata glanced at the pair conversing in hushed tones, she had never seen them here before. A few more people began to join the queue and Hinata breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator finally arrived. The doors opened and a pile of people poured out.

'What in the world?' she thought. 'No one is usually here this early.'

She scurried into the elevator and was quickly smashed into the back as everyone that had been milling about behind her crammed in as well. When it seemed like the elevator wouldn't be able to hold another person, yet another body squeezed their way in. Irritation crept its way into the back of her mind but she pushed it away. There had to be a good, reasonable explanation for this early influx. Besides, she shouldn't let a little thing like this ruin her morning. When the elevator finally reached her floor it wasn't as packed but there were still a fair amount of people she had to push past. Upon exiting the elevator, she tugged on her blazer a bit and headed purposefully down the hall to her corner office. Her end of the hallway was relatively untouched by people milling about, the silence in the corner allowed her to breathe a sigh a relief. This was her oasis. Here she was in power. She was in control and she had a lot of work to do. Today was going to be a good day. She turned the doorknob and opened the door to reveal an office in utter chaos.

Her filing cabinets had been emptied, papers and files stacked in various piles on the floor. Her desk drawers had been emptied of their contents, and office supplies were spread haphazardly over the desk. Unfamiliar furnishings were pushed against the walls and in the center of the chaos was a certain raven haired demon, calmly sipping a cup of coffee and analyzing a stack of _her_ files. Hinata felt her purse slip from her grasp as she stared in horror at the destruction. The devil himself turned his dark gaze towards her and frowned.

"Do you always show up to work so late?"

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ ***Expect regularish updates every Thursday/Friday unless I update early for various reasons/inspiration. Until next time.**_


	4. This is a Test

**CCNote: A giant thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter! Seriously, you all are awesome! A big shout out to xPrincessJelly, my new beta for their much-needed assistance! Onward with the story.**

 **T** **his is a Test**

… **.**

 **Monday, August 30, 2017, 6:01 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **..**

 _"Do you always show up to work so late?"_

Hinata stood there, dumbstruck by his entitlement and lack of decency for another person's things. What was he even doing there in the first place? He placed the file he had been holding on the desk as he took a sip from his...wait...that wasn't his mug! She recognized that half obscured lavender and white pattern anywhere! That lavender mug had been an office warming gift from Tenten and Ino when she finally took her place at the company. How dare he!

"Are you going to keep staring or are you going to explain to me what it is you do?" He said blandly.

"W-why would I tell you that? What are you doing here in my office?" Hinata questioned, trying desperately to keep her anger in check as he continued drinking from _her_ mug.

"It's more specifically known as _our_ office."

"Wha- I don't understand?"

"Welcome to work Hyuuga."

… **.**

 **Monday, August 30, 2017, 6:15 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **..**

'Breathe, just breathe.' Hinata thought to herself although it wasn't helping in the slightest.

She had thought that she would be able to find solace in the ladies room but it was already overwrought with women. There was even a line and there had never _ever_ been a line previously. So instead of a stall, she found herself breaking in Neji's office which had been surprisingly spared. She slumped down into one of his plush gray chairs and busied herself with one of the many books on the shelf. All of which were boring and dry but it was better than being locked in a room with Sasuke Uchiha. She didn't have to wait long for her cousin to arrive and he didn't seem surprised to see her holed up in his office either.

"So I see that you've met your new partner." Neji said as he placed his briefcase on his desk and removed his suit jacket. Hinata felt her cheeks burn at the word 'partner' but pushed her embarrassment aside.

"What is going on?" She asked as evenly as she could without sounding petulant. "I thought that the Uchihas didn't _want_ to merge. Why does he have to be in my office?"

Neji walked around to the front of his desk and leaned against it. He crossed his arms over his chest and let out a long breath.

"To answer your first question, it appears as if Fugaku and Uncle were able to come to some sort of...understanding," he explained. "I'm not sure what it entails exactly but for all intents and purposes, we are merging. Now to why you are sharing an office with Fugaku's son, that is temporary."

Hinata felt her body begin to relax at that news. She was on the verge of having an anxiety attack just seeing him rifling through her things. How long would he be imposing? A day, a week? She could handle a week.

"Don't get excited just yet. Until we get things restructured with the staff and the other floors renovated, you two will be working in there on all of the public relations for this merger. Your assignments will start next week." Neji tempered, already sensing her spirits uplifting.

"P-p-public relations?" She stammered, her face losing all of its color.

"On our end, you are the heir apparent for the Hyuuga corporation and this is _supposed_ to be seen as growth that will take us into a new age. The shareholders will feel more comfortable is we feed them that narrative."

Hinata slumped down further in her cousin's chair although it no longer felt so plush and safe. She absolutely hated being the center of attention. Neji uncrossed his arms and sighed.

"I know it's unfair to spring this on you suddenly but honestly it's past time that Uncle began to put your face out there. And, if everything goes well, he will formally declare you his heiress. Think of this as a test."

… **.**

 **Monday, August 30, 2017, 8:05 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **..**

 _This is a test_

Hinata placed a hand over her heart as though it would calm its erratic beating. All she had to do was just act normal. She could treat him like a stranger, he pretty much was anyway. She pushed open the door to her- _their-_ office which was still a scene of decimation but now full of cardboard boxes. Her new partner looked up from the box he was rummaging through for but a second before returning to what he was doing.

"Nice of you to finally return." He said monotonously.

"I just had to-" Hinata began to explain but stopped midsentence. She shouldn't have to justify her whereabouts to him. He didn't seem bothered by her sudden silence either since he wasn't listening anyway.

 _This is a test_

Hinata stood up a little straighter and looked around listlessly at the piles of her folders on the floor. Her office was more than sufficient enough to house both of them so that wouldn't be too much of an issue. If she was going to coexist with him, all she needed to do was treat him like any other person. She picked up her used lavender mug off of the desk and felt her blood pressure spike at the coffee ring in the bottom of the cup. She cut a quick glare at the man who was paying her no attention at all. If her father really was thinking of finally naming her heiress she was sure to end up dealing with many other people far worse than Sasuke Uchiha. As such, if she could handle him she could handle anything. With that small comfort, she placed the mug back down and went to reorganizing her files.

… **.**

 **Tuesday, August 31, 2017, 4:58 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **.**

"You can do it!" Hinata said firmly to her reflection in the elevator doors.

The woman on the shiny silver surface stared back and while her stance was confident she wavered. Every self-help book and friendly word of advice dictated that one should 'fake it til they made it'. Problem was, she had a hard time faking it. It just wasn't something she was used to doing. The doors to the elevator opened and she straightened her back and headed down the hallway with her head high. No matter how embarrassed she was she couldn't let it affect her job performance, not when all signs steered towards her father finally accepting her as his heiress.

"Just breathe." She whispered under her breath as she placed a hand on the cold door knob.

She opened the door to their office expecting to find it empty but the Uchiha was already there directing two delivery men where to place what she assumed was his desk. To her irritation, her lavender mug was once again at his lips. She glanced down at her watch. It was five a.m.! What was he doing here and how had he managed to get movers here this early? She shook her head and placed her purse on top of a stack of boxes as the men placed the desk where he wanted. He handed the two men a wad of cash and waved them out of the room.

"Good Morning, Mr. Uchiha." She greeted tightly and one of his eyebrows quirked slightly upward in curiosity.

"So formal this morning?" He asked, mild amusement laced through his bland tone. _"Mr._ Uchiha is my father."

Hinata ignored his remark as she removed her black blazer and settled into her desk's new location which faced his. She didn't like the fact that she had to see his ridiculously perfect face every time she looked up but it couldn't be helped. Any other configuration of the room just looked strange. She awakened her desktop screen and immediately went to check her email. There were a few new things in her inbox but not nothing that needed her immediate attention.

She opened the first email. It was just a formal invitation for a representative of their corporation to come to attend the grand opening of one of their newest branch facilities. It was oriented towards a younger generation, filled with all of the uniqueness that older business people thought their younger counterparts wanted. This was easy. Immediately she thought of sending Hanabi out to the ribbon cutting ceremony but thought hesitated. If this _was_ a test from their father, he would probably wish for both her and Sasuke to attend the event. All of a sudden this innocuous email didn't appear so easy any longer. She shook her head and moved on to the next email which made her heart sink. It was yet another blow off. Hinata frustratedly pushed her bangs off of her forehead and let her shoulders slump. Why did this keep happening? She opened a message response window and got ready to type her reply.

"What are you doing?" A deep voice behind her growled and she jumped in surprise.

She swung around in her chair to see Sasuke staring intently over her shoulder at the email on her screen. His breath tickled the back of her neck and the smell of his aftershave enveloped her senses. She felt her face heat up. Did he have no concept of privacy? He reached over her shoulder and exited out of the response screen.

"What are _you_ doing?" Hinata gasped as she tried to take the mouse away.

"You shouldn't respond immediately to something like that. They are just trying to see if they can get more money."

"You don't know that."

Hinata glared at the pale hand holding her mouse hostage. She would have to touch him to get it back and that was not an option.

"Don't reply. Don't send another email." Sasuke said flatly before taking a sip of coffee.

"If I do that we could lose out on a potential deal." Hinata grumbled under her breath.

"You won't." He replied confidently even though she hadn't _asked_ for his opinion. "Your terms are in fact generous. _Too_ generous."

Hinata glared at his back as he finally set her mouse free and walked back over to his side of the office. When he turned around she quickly busied herself with other matters. If she could just stay busy enough she wouldn't have to look at him and that arrogant smirk. She reopened the reply window for the email and set her fingers on the keyboard. This deal could bring in a lot of money for the company. What did he know anyway? She moved to begin typing but the words wouldn't come out. What if what he was saying was true? Doubt creeping into the back of her mind, she bit her bottom lip and exited out of the email.

By the end of the day, there was a new email from Sarutobi outlining that they had to reconsider the terms and desired to set up a meeting. She had to fight to keep her jaw from falling open in shock.

… **.**

 **Wednesday, September 1, 2017, 4:25 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **..**

By the middle of the week, Sasuke had realized two things. The first being that the eldest Hyuuga daughter had no sense of duplicity. The woman was much too honest for her own good. She wore all of her feelings on her sleeve which was something he wasn't used to. At times he wondered how it was even possible for one human to display so many emotions within one day and not implode. It was amusing and led him down the path to his second discovery. Hinata Hyuuga was just too easy to fuck with.

The woman was so open it was incredibly easy to get a rise out of her which was something he enjoyed seeing. He took immense appreciation as her face turned red with fists clenched at her side or the way she would skirt past him in the halls to avoid brushing up against one another. Due to the latter behavior, he made it a point to get into her personal space anytime the door to the office was closed. He knew that he was being insensitive and that his behavior was beyond unprofessional but he couldn't help it. There was just something about that doe-eyed woman that made him want to push all of her buttons. He was the quintessential school yard bully that dipped their crushes pigtails in paint when they weren't looking. He felt his lips twitch at the thought, a move that didn't go unnoticed by his companion.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary little brother." Itachi smirked as he scrolled through something on his phone. "To what do we owe such a good mood this morning?"

"Hn." Sasuke grunted.

"My your vocabulary has improved."

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened the Uchiha brothers made their way swiftly down the hall. The office was mostly deserted, only a few stragglers from the previous night were milling about like zombies. Sasuke always found it strange that people had such trouble getting up in the morning. He himself was always up and moving before sunrise. He took a sip of coffee from his mug and grimaced at the bitter brew. Whatever swill they were using in the coffee maker that morning was awful. He felt his mood dampen slightly at the prospect of having to throw it away.

"How are things coming along with your new partner?" Itachi asked as they rounded the last corner before they arrived at the office.

"I haven't killed her yet if that's what you mean." Sasuke replied blandly. Itachi chuckled.

"You have never played well with others."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and opened his office door. He expected to find it empty but was greeted instead with his new partner bent over and rummaging through his desk. A rather nice view of her shapely ass on full display in the gray pencil skirt she was wearing. She let out of a frustrated sigh as she shut the bottom drawer and stood up. Her arms crossed under her chest as her brow furrowed with a pout on her lips. She was..dare he say it... _cute_.

Itachi cleared his throat awkwardly and the snooping woman nearly jumped out of her skin at being caught red handed. Sasuke smirked as he took in the sight, thoroughly enjoying the blush that spread like wildfire across her face.

"I-I-I-" she stammered.

"Looking for something?" He asked as he raised his mug to his lips.

Her pale eyes narrowed at the action and he couldn't help but smirk. He knew _exactly_ what she was looking for. When she said nothing he walked into the office and took a seat at his desk. He took an extra large gulp from the lavender mug solely to prove a point.

… **..**

 **Thursday, September 2, 2017, 3:13 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **.**

Sasuke felt his hands clench as he heard her sigh for the one millionth time. How many times was she going to try to sigh today? She didn't even realize that she was doing it and the sound was beginning to get on his nerves. He looked up from the mountain of paperwork he was sorting to see just what was causing her distress. She was looking at something on her computer, compulsively twisting her dark hair around her finger with a brow creased deep in thought. Her plump pink lips pursed together tightly in a tight line for but only a moment before she sighed again. She seemed to sense him staring and looked away from her screen to him.

"What?" She asked worriedly and touched a small hand to her cheek. "Do I have something on my face?"

"You're being annoying." He said bluntly causing his partner to frown and return to her work.

Satisfied with her new state of silence, Sasuke returned to his own cross analyzation of the information his family already had on the Hyuuga business dealings and the concrete details from the Hyuugas themselves. He found himself working quite efficiently until the phone rang. Hinata flinched in surprise but picked up quickly. He watched as the small woman tried to politely get a word in edgewise with the caller but to no avail. He could hear the loud, forceful baritone of the person on the other end dominating the conversation in an attempt to bully their way into getting what they wanted. He didn't appreciate the way her shoulders slumped slightly as she took the beratement either. That itself was worse than her sighing. Tossing the paper he had in his hand on his desk he crossed the room to her desk in only a few short strides. She squeaked when he snatched the phone away from her ear and pressed it to his ear.

"And another thing! How can you guys expect us to continue doing business with you when we are getting the short end of the stick. You all are worse crooks than those damn Uchiha. I don't care what it takes, put me through to Hiashi. I don't need some pencil pusher telling _me_ that we are in noncompliance-" the angry voice roared on the other end. Sasuke could almost envision the likely overweight man's face turning red as he worked himself up into a tizzy.

"Are you done?" Sasuke said evenly and the person sputtered, surely taken aback since they were expecting a more feminine voice. Hinata looked up at him with wide eyes and scrambled out of her to retake possession of her phone. He side stepped her and walked away. She followed behind him around the office, clutching the back of his shirt in her attempt to keep up with his pace.

"Who the hell is this?" The man demanded.

"One of those aforementioned 'damn Uchiha'."

The sound of the man choking on his own words made a smirk play at his lips. Hinata swooped in front of him and stood on her toes in a weak attempt at stopping the phone call. Sasuke grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. She struggled against his hold but it was no use.

"U-U-Uchiha?!" He sputtered out finally.

"Yes." Sasuke confirmed as he glanced at the familiar caller id. Ayato Industries. "Need I remind you that Ayato Industries has a loan currently pending under one of our banks. It would be a shame to know that we would have to deny you service on the grounds of you being unreliable. I'm sure the Hyuuga would be willing to vouch for you one way or the other on that."

At the mention of just how much he had to lose, the man immediately began uttering his profuse apologies and shallow sincerities. The man went on like that for a full ten minutes, even going to far as to take back his initial refusal to acknowledge his breach of contract. Sasuke rolled his eyes at how pathetic the man sounded groveling because of a slight he believed to have inflicted. He set the phone to mute and looked down at the Hyuuga woman who had stopped her struggling.

"Why did you allow him to insult you?" He asked, genuinely curious as to why someone of her status would submit themselves to the feeble ramblings of someone beneath them.

"Not everything requires a fight. I had it under control." She replied matter of factly and tried to jump for the phone.

Sasuke had not anticipated that and lost his footing. Since he was still holding her wrist she came crashing down on top of him when he fell backward. He sucked in a sharp breath when she accidentally headbutted him in a failed attempt to get up. Despite the pain, he enjoyed the feel of her soft body against his. It almost made up for the annoying sighing from earlier. _Almost._

Hinata attempted to use her free hand to rub the top of her head but he changed their positions around before she could. She winced as the air was knocked out of her lungs and he smirked. Seeing her disoriented was arousing. On the phone, the man called out 'hello' repeatedly since they had been silent for so long. Sasuke groaned and climbed off of the stunned Hyuuga.

He unmuted the phone and continued the one-sided phone call. In the end, he agreed to meet with the Hyuuga lawyers on Friday and was all too eager to get off the phone. When the line went dead he finally turned back to a frowning Hinata and returned her phone. She pressed the device close to her chest as though that would prevent him from taking it again.

"Tell your lawyers they should clear out time to meet that guy on Friday." Sasuke informed her before leaving her standing dumbstruck in the middle of the office.

… **.**

 **Thursday, September 2, 2017, 7:34 pm**

 **1045 Wilmington Way: Ino and Tenten residence**

…

"So what do you think of this one?" Sakura asked as she stepped out of Ino's bathroom wearing yet another outfit that looked stunning on her.

Hinata peeked out from behind the bag of ice on her forehead and gave the woman a once over. She was wearing a strapless red cocktail dress that hugged her slim curves in all of the right places and stopped just above her knees. She looked great, just as she had in every other outfit that she had shown them, but Hinata felt it revealed a bit too much. Especially since this _was_ supposed to be a business dinner with her boss. She kept her opinions to herself though, it wasn't like she was the most fashion forward of them. Her head hurt too much to put that much thought into it anyway. She threw Sakura a lazy thumbs up of approval.

"It looks fine Sakura." Ino groaned although she wasn't even looking at her friend, she was much more preoccupied with the celebrity gossip on her phone.

Sakura placed her hands on her hips and huffed.

"C'mon guys! This is really important." She pouted.

"If this is for business just wear whatever you usually wear to work." Tenten said as she walked into Ino's room with four empty wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of sauvignon blanc in the other. Hinata weakly nodded her head as she accepted one of the empty glasses. "Is this not a business meeting."

"It _is_ and it _isn't_." Sakura said dodgily. "I've been out all week apartment hunting. I don't want to look sloppy when he sees me again."

Hinata couldn't relate to Sakura's need to impress her boss. It was highly probable that her boss didn't care that much about what she wore either. Unless he was one of those slimy businessmen that liked to cheat on their wives with their secretaries. She had encountered more of _those_ kinds of men than she cared to admit. The raven-haired woman sat up and poured herself a glass of wine when Tenten had finished pouring her own. This was _exactly_ what she needed. All she had to do was get through the end of the week and she could decompress far away from the Uchiha. Her head hurt like hell just from being in the same room as him for a week. It wasn't that he _wasn't_ a good partner but everything he did got under her skin.

"It either it is or it isn't. It can't be both." Ino huffed as she continued to scroll through her phone. "Unless you're trying to screw him."

The entire room went silent as Ino's offhanded statement sunk in. Hinata stopped mid-sip. Tenten slowly puts the wine bottle down and Ino sat upright immediately.

"Oh my god you are!" Ino squealed and Sakura's cheeks turned the same color as her hair.

"I don't think that's a good idea Sakura." Tenten said hesitantly but Sakura just waved her off.

"Ino's just being ridiculous. It's not like that."

"That's not what your face says!" Ino accused.

"Well, it's what I mean!"

"Sakura, if you _aren't_ trying to get into his pants then you should wear something else. That dress is a bit much." Tenten mused and the woman in question deflated a bit. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at herself in Ino's floor length mirror.

"Do you think so?" she asked.

"That's a "baby making" dress not a "dinner with my boss" dress." Ino snickered but Sakura did not appreciate her input.

"Whatever whatever! I'm going to change!" She fumed and marched into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Ino grumbled about people being too grumpy but quickly settled back into her celebrity gossip. Hinata put the bag of ice back on her forehead and laid down. Tenten poked her in her side with her foot and she scooted over.

"Long day?" Tenten asked as she sat down. Hinata let out a deep breath through her nose. "Care to share?"

"It's nothing really." Hinata said softly. "It's just my...new, um, coworker. He's...bothersome."

"Well be bothersome right back." Tenten shrugged as she took a sip of her wine.

"I can't do that!" Hinata replied.

"Ten is right." Ino interjected. "In love, its best to fight fire with fire."

"No one said _anything_ about 'love' Ino!"

"Well, it was implied!"

" _Where_?"

Hinata allowed her friends bickering to wash over her as she processed their advice. It all sounded well and good but the youngest Uchiha was like an obelisk. He appeared unmoveable, impenetrable. What could she possibly do that would unnerve him?

"Fight fire with fire..."

 **CCNote: Well there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think of it the reviews! Until next time!**


	5. Monkey See, Monkey Do

**CCNote: Thanks so much for all of your support! Because this story reached 100 reviews so early, I felt I should update early too! Special shout out to my beta PrincessJellyX! Enjoy!**

 **Monkey See, Monkey Do**

 **...**

 **Friday, September 3, 2017, 3:45 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **..**

 _"Fight fire with fire..."_

It was almost four in the morning when she arrived at the office. An ungodly hour even for her but if she had learned anything over the last week it was that her partner was a workaholic. She _never_ saw him leave work before she did and she had a sneaking suspicion that the only reason she had found the office empty before was because he was on a coffee break. It wasn't only him who was camping out at the office. The new influx of personnel that she had encountered were all from the Uchihas. There was an office culture to not leave before their bosses went home and so many people seeking to climb the corporate ladder were currently slumped over their keyboards with computer screens filled with half finished proposals and spreadsheets. She had previously thought she herself worked too much but she had nothing on the Uchihas.

She looked around their dark office and immediately got to work. She tossed her purse into her chair and walked over to her partner's desk to do some reconnaissance. If _he_ could read through the Hyuuga files so could she. Hinata pulled out her own gray notebook and pen but paused.

"Fight fire with fire." She said to herself and stowed away her own pen for one sitting prominently in the center of Sasuke's desk.

She had seen him twirl this pen often in a rather irritating and distracting manner. He called her annoying, for what reason she didn't know, but she at least had the politeness to not point out his absent-minded pen habit. She held the shiny, sleek black pen between two fingers and noted the weightiness of it. On the side of it was his name engraved in gold leaf. It looked rather important but she shrugged her shoulders. It was _her_ pen now. As she tested it out on her notebook she relished the smooth feel of the ballpoint gliding across the page and felt even more resolute in keeping the utensil for herself.

She then got to work taking notes on all of the deals that were currently pending under his name and all of the grand openings and appearance requests in his inbox-none of which he had responded to. Hinata bit her bottom lip and glanced at the office door. This was wrong, she knew it was, but at the same time he deserved it. He had interfered with her sphere so she had every right to interfere with his. Without a second thought, she spent the next hour accepting every public appearance he had been ignoring on his behalf. In the end, it would only benefit the merger and increase morale for their branches to see their leader care about what they were doing. In the back of her mind, she smirked at their mutual passive aggressiveness towards one another. As she pressed send on the final email, she sat back in his leather chair, thoroughly satisfied with her handiwork, a smile creeping across her face as a trio of ecstatic emails swarmed his inbox in rapid succession.

The door to the office opened and she had to fight the instant urge to jump out of his domain and scurry towards her own. No, even though it was uncomfortable he had to see how it felt to have another person invade one's private space. The devil stepped in, dark hair mused from sleep but otherwise alert and surprised to see her sitting in his chair.

"Good Morning Mr. Uchiha." She greeted but didn't get up.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Nothing."

Sasuke calmly walked over to his desk, with every step his aura becoming more and more murderous. He turned the computer screen towards him and investigated what she had done. He glanced at her once before opening the first email. Hinata felt her heart rate increase as she waited for his reaction.

 **On behalf of Kodama Inc, we would like to say thank you...**

His hand tightened over the mouse.

 **Oyama & Sons are excited to begin working closely with...**

Sasuke jaw clenched as he quickly scanned the email.

 **This appearance will...**

 **This kindness, it will be an honor...**

 **Thank you...**

 **Thank you!**

He turned off the computer screen and loomed over her, his eyes clearly disapproving of what she had done. He leaned down and placed both hands on the armrests of the chair, effectively erasing all means of escape. Unperturbed by his intimidation she crossed her arms over her chest and stared back defiantly.

"Do you realize what you have done?" He asked evenly.

"Of course Mr. Uchiha." She replied. "It will be beneficial for company morale to see that their boss will personally get involved in the work they do."

Sasuke's eye twitched as he listened to her reasoning and she couldn't help but feel a little more confident. That was the crack in his mask that she had been looking for.

"If I go to even one of those asinine conferences or make an appearance at a ceremony the rest of them will expect the same." He growled. She leaned closer to him, her mocking smile widening.

"I'm sure they will _all_ appreciate it."

"Hyuuga-" he began but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Come in." Sasuke called, crossing his arms over his chest as he backed away from the chair and leaned against his desk.

"This isn't over Hyuuga." He hissed under his breath.

Hinata crossed her legs and cocked her head slightly to the side to show she was outwardly unbothered by the statement even though internally her heart felt like it was about to explode. The door to the office opened but neither one of them looked in its direction.

"Good morning!" A cheery voice cut through the tension in the room. Hinata felt her head turn so quickly she almost got whiplash. Standing in the doorway holding a tray of coffee and a bag of bagels was Sakura with a big, excited smile on her face.

"Surprise! Happy to see me right!"

… **..**

 **9:30am**

… **.**

"Oh Hina, I'm so excited we get to work together! Who would have thought huh?" Sakura prattled on excitedly, her voice bouncing off of the walls of the ladies restroom.

"Y-yea." Hinata said distractedly as she washed her hands in the sink.

Sakura smiled from ear to ear as she primped her hair in the mirror to ensure the perfection that already was there. Several women walked in and out of the bathroom shooting her rather pointed looks and whispering to each other. Sakura rolled her eyes at their antics and touched up her lipstick. Hinata couldn't help but wonder why her friend was the subject of their ire.

"Ignore them." Sakura said as though she could read her mind. "The women that work under the Uchihas are vultures."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, taken aback by that statement. Sakura looked under the stalls to ensure there were no eavesdroppers before turning back to Hinata.

"Both sons are woefully single and rich. It doesn't help either that they are actually good looking." Sakura whispered with a smile playing at her lips. "The women that work for them are always trying to climb the corporate ladder, it's very cut throat if you ask me. Many of them are just trying to fuck their way to power."

Hinata felt an unease begin to settle in the pit of her stomach at what Sakura was telling her. How many of these women had Sasuke been with? The realization that she was just another name on a long list of others made her feel queasy. All of a sudden the embarrassment she thought she had buried came bubbling up to the surface.

"They hate me because they see me as a threat. As if Sasuke would ever notice any of them anyway!" Sakura laughed confidently.

"Really?" Hinata asked as disinterestedly as she could to not tip off the gossiping pink haired women.

"Of course! Sasuke is too good for any of these power hungry skanks. Even if I wasn't here I doubt any of them would be successful, they certainly weren't before I came along. Besides-"

Sakura looked around the bathroom once more to make sure they were alone and slid in close to Hinata.

"Sasuke is a prude. The biggest stiff you ever met! In the three years I've worked for him I have never seen him with another woman. Keep that between you and me though. If the other women thought they had a shot with him it would be like feeding him to the wolves!"

… **.**

 **5:57pm**

… **.**

Hinata frowned as she held the smooth black pen in her hand, the cool metal warming under her fingertips. She wasn't quite sure how to process the information Sakura had divulged. Should she care? _Did_ she care and if so, why? Her cheeks flared up in embarrassment. He could sleep with anyone he wanted, it wasn't any of her business...

"Hyuuga." Sasuke called from across the room causing Hinata to look up from her notes.

"Have you seen my pen?" He asked and Hinata looked down at her notebook, his pen glaring up at her.

"What pen?" She replied innocently.

Being that he was a demon, it was evident that he knew she was lying but he didn't press forward on the issue. Instead, he only glared and grabbed his briefcase.

"I'm leaving." He said and Hinata flashed him a smile.

"See you on Monday Mr. Uchiha."

When the door to the office closed she leaned back in her chair and snickered to herself. Today had been a relatively successful day and now it was over. She had lasted through the week! She needed to celebrate this little accomplishment with someone, but who? She almost began texting Neji but thought better of it since he was sure to be busy with her father. Hanabi surely had her own weekend plans as she always did. Her sister was much too popular for her own good. Hinata spun lazily in her chair and scrolled through her phone to see who might be available. Absently her thumb landed on a contact she had not spoken to in awhile. She pressed the name to expand the contact information and sighed as she looked at the picture. _Naruto Uzumaki_.

Hinata rested her chin on her palm and she stared at the blue eyes smiling back at her. She hadn't spoken to him since their breakup as amicable as it was. He had wanted to stay friends and even though she had agreed, deep down she knew she couldn't be his friend. Things between them were much too complicated. Her heart clenched regretfully and she quickly swiped his picture away. There had to be someone else free. She sent out messages to Tenten and Ino and got back to work while she waited for their replies. It wasn't like she had anything better to do anyway.

… **.**

 **Friday September 3 2017 9:45pm**

 **Galliano's**

… **.**

Sasuke glanced down lazily at his watch as he listened to Sakura prattle on about the crossover of the staff and the physical accommodations that would need to be made. He tried to focus on the words that were coming out of her mouth but he couldn't, his mind just wouldn't let him focus. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with his secretary per se, she was the most efficient one he'd ever had, but something was off. When her mouth moved he imagined it was a softer voice coming out. Green eyes slowly faded to a pale lavender framed with thick lashes. Then he remembered the stunt she pulled earlier and Sakura's face returned to normal.

'That damn Hyuuga.' He frowned and tapped his fingers against the table. A warm hand touched his arm and he looked up. Sakura's mouth was pursed in a tight line, a look of concern in her eyes.

"Are you okay? You've been off all day."

"I'm fine. Get back to the report."

"Sasuke," She reprimanded as she straightened the paper strewn over the table. "I know you better than that. You were off your game today. What happened?"

"Sakura," he said flatly. She looked over at him expectantly. "Drop it."

The woman deflated slightly but she perked back up again almost instantly. Her ability to rebound was nothing short of impressive. She touched his arm again and he had to fight the initial urge to recoil.

"Well I've finished my report and you look like you could use a drink. How about we go to a place I know and-"

His phone vibrated loudly on the table between them, his father's name showing up on the screen. Sasuke paused as he stared at the vibrating device. His father never usually called him personally. He always relayed messages through his mother or a secretary. Did something happen? Mumbling about having to freshen up, Sakura scooted out of the booth and he answered the call.

"Father." He greeted and Fugaku's voice rang loud and clear on the other end of the phone.

"I have received some rather interesting news of your work this week."

"Oh?" Sasuke replied; he had no idea what his father was referring to.

"I have been wanting you to show more initiative in the company for awhile. It pleases me that you are taking a more hands-on approach with our branches. Well done."

His father was never one to say goodbye so he hung up the phone soon after. Sasuke stared at the device in his hand in awe. What in the world had Hinata written in those emails to garner that kind of respect from his father? He opened his emails and read the ones that had been sent by her earlier that day. Nothing in them was outrageous but they were all written in a manner he would never have approved of. It was much too accommodating for anything he would have written. Yet it was enough to get the branches to express their gratitude to his father. He would actually have to follow through on all of the promises that had been made on his behalf but now his frustration at that idea was lessening.

"Is everything okay?" Sakura asked as she slid back into the booth.

"Hn." He mumbled as he scrolled through his emails. He had to find that damn Hyuuga. Sakura clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Great! So how about those drinks?"

Sasuke absently glanced at his watch and slid out of the booth. He had a hunch as to where she might be. He hastily opened his wallet and handed the confused woman more than enough money to cover their bill.

"Another time Sakura." He mumbled absently, ignoring the crestfallen slump of her shoulders as he walked away.

… **.**

 **Friday September 3 2017 10:30pm**

 **Hydrangea Park**

… **.**

When his taxi arrived at the empty park he felt his heart sink for a moment at the prospect of his hunch being wrong. That was when he saw her familiar crop of dark hair sitting under a flickering street light, just like the previous week. He smirked to himself as he saw her reach into her bag and pull out a beer can. He crept up behind the unsuspecting woman just as she took a gulp.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't legal." He said and beer sprayed everywhere.

She jumped up off of the bench and turned around, a hand clutching her heart and eyes wide. Sasuke couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her. Her wide eyes turned into a glare as she finally calmed down.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Sasuke shrugged and helped himself to one of the beers in her bag.

"I wanted to go for a walk." He explained, not wanting to reveal that his real intention was to see her. To see the woman who had managed to gain a sliver of his father's approval. She didn't seem to buy his excuse but sat on the bench anyway.

"This is a strange time to go for a walk." She grumbled.

"Do I have to tell you everything I do and my reasons why? Are you my keeper?" He teased and pinched her cheek. She swatted his hand away but a small smile played at the corners of her lips. Those pink lips he had been thinking about all night.

"No one would want to keep you." She snorted. "You are a terrible pet."

He scooted closer to her and breathed deeply. Despite the smell of beer on her clothes she still smelled good. It was a distracting smell when they were in closed quarters but out here he was able to fully indulge his senses. Her long hair was up in a ponytail, exposing her long pale neck. Without stopping, he pressed his nose between her ear and jaw. She shivered but didn't move away. What was she thinking in that head of hers?

"How am terrible?" He growled as he felt her pulse quicken. "If I recall it was you who decided to go through _my_ things and set me up to do things I had no previous intention of doing. I believe you are the terrible one."

"You shouldn't sit so close to me." She mumbled and slid away but he followed.

"Why not?"

"It is unprofessional."

Sasuke smirked at her excuse and took the liberty of kissing her jaw, inhaling her scent as he did so. Why did she have to smell this good? He relished the warm feel of her skin against his tongue. He'd always had great self-control when in the presence of the opposite sex but this woman made him want to topple all of the barriers he usually put up.

"Sasuke-" she squeaked and he chuckled.

"So _now_ you say my name."

He roughly pulled her over so that she was sitting in his lap with her legs on either side. He quickly undid the top three buttons of her shirt of her shirt and greedily planted kisses along her collar bone. She squirmed in his lap under his ministrations. He pushed her skirt up slightly and felt himself harden at the small flash of lacy dark blue panties. It was but only a glimpse and it didn't satisfy him fully. He wanted to see more.

"We shouldn't do this." She moaned weakly.

She was absolutely right. They _shouldn't_ be doing this and yet he wanted nothing more than to proceed. He wanted to feel her beneath him and once more moaning his name. It was like an itch that felt good to scratch. If he just got her out of his system this one time he would be able to treat her with ambivalence just like any other woman in his life. Right? He could feel her heat radiate over his clothed member and desired nothing more than to take her right there on the park bench. He grabbed her hips and pressed her closer, grinding up against her dampening panties.

"Hinata." He groaned as he slid his hand up her thighs and grabbed her ass tightly. Her slender fingers wound through his hair and tugged his head back.

"No."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **CCNote: Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!**


	6. The Heir and the Spare

**CCNote: Happy _almost_ Thursday from Japan. Early update since I know so many people are looking forward to it. I'm loving everyone's awesome feedback! Shout out to my Beta PrincessJelly for their assistance with this chapter. This chapter was inspired yet again by Mamma Mia and more red wine than I will admit to drinking. ENJOY!**

 **The Heir and the Spare**

 **Friday, September 3, 2017 11:45pm**

 **Makinohara Roof Top Bar**

 **...**

 _"N_ o."

The word reverberated in his mind, drowning out the loud clamor of the other occupants of the rooftop bar. Sasuke was quite familiar with the word 'no', in fact, it could be easily argued that it was one of his favorite words to use. Unfortunately, it wasn't one he was used to hearing it directed towards him. Whether it was in work or in life, Uchihas were never denied much of anything. Yet he had been left with his pride chipped and a painful erection in the middle of a children's park without so much as an explanation. He gulped down the rest of his drink and ordered another one. Was this what embarrassment felt like?

"Slow down bastard! You can't start without me!" A boisterous voice called as they slapped his back roughly and settled into the bar stool next to him.

Sasuke looked over at the man to his right and smirked. The man was flanked on all sides by three burly men dressed in all black with conspicuous ear pieces and walkie talkies. The blonde himself was way too overdressed for their location but once he had heard that Sasuke was back in town he dropped everything to meet him for a drink. Naruto always had a bad habit of shirking off his responsibilities for more interesting avenues anyway so Sasuke didn't feel too guilty.

"Dobe." Sasuke greeted. The three men that had accompanied Naruto began making wide breadth around the two companions to keep the other curious occupants of the bar at bay.

"Hey, bartender!" The blonde man called. "Two whiskeys on the rocks! I gotta catch up with this guy!"

The bartender nodded his head absently but then did a double take when he realized who was ordering. Sasuke rolled his eyes as the man almost dropped the glass he was holding. Since he was the Hokage's son, the blonde should have more tact when it came to being out in public and not scare people. Naruto seemed oblivious to the stares he was garnering as he removed his tuxedo jacket and loosened his bow tie. Sasuke couldn't help but appreciate the swiftness that their drinks were delivered despite the high volume of people at the bar. Even though it was troublesome, there were perks that came with being friends with the Hokage's son.

"What did you skip out on this time?" Sasuke asked over his cup. Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"Just some campaign fundraiser... or maybe it was a charity fundraiser... I don't know they all look the same after awhile." He said wryly. "I'm sure no one will notice."

"Doubtful." Sasuke snorted. Naruto flashed him a sly grin, they both knew he was probably going to get a lecture later from his father.

"So to what do I owe this meeting?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and rested his head in his hand.

"I need a reason to call you now?" He said sarcastically. "And here I thought you would be happy to see me."

"You know what I mean! You're usually so anti it's like pulling teeth to get you to come anywhere."

"Hn."

"It's true!"

Sasuke smiled inwardly as he listened to Naruto rant on and on about what an ungrateful bastard he was. He and Naruto were polar opposites but somehow they had managed to forge a friendship that would undoubtedly last a lifetime if the idiot had anything to say about it. Fortunately for Naruto, Sasuke wasn't willing to put up that much of a fight to get rid of him. Even though Naruto could be incredibly annoying he was loyal and wasn't pretending to be his friend for power and connections. That was a rare find in the circles they walked in. He needed Naruto's company tonight, anything to distract him from that damn Hyuuga woman was more than welcome.

"What's with that face?" Naruto grinned and poked Sasuke on his cheek repeatedly. Sasuke swatted his hand away but the blonde kept doing it.

"My face is my face. There is nothing wrong with it."

"No. That's a girl trouble face. I'd know it anywhere."

Sasuke nearly spat his drink out at the accurate inference but kept his composure.

"Haha! I'm right!" Naruto cheered.

"What are you talking about you idiot?" Sasuke sneered as rubbed his chin with the back of his hand.

"I _know_ the girl trouble face. Shikamaru has that look on his face often." Naruto explained and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Who is she? Is she hot? Knowing what a bastard you are she must be something special to get your attention!"

"I never said there was a girl." Sasuke countered but Naruto just waved his denial away. The blonde man gave him a pervy look and leaned in close.

"So... is she good?" He grinned suspiciously, groping the air as though it were a part of the female anatomy. The man was becoming more and more like his notorious godfather each day. The bold statement made the tips of the Uchiha's ears burn and he pushed Naruto away. The man laughed and downed the last of his first drink before moving onto his second.

"Aw, you're no fun Sasuke!"

 **...**

 **Saturday, September 4, 2017, 2:54 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

 _"Ah!"_

 _She rubbed her breasts over her shirt as his tongue and fingers plunged in and out of her from down below. His dark eyes looked up at her hungrily while he continued to drink in her essence with an appetite that she knew would not be satiated by this act alone. She tried to stifle her moans but it was no use. The things he was able to do with his tongue were beyond her ability to temper. He picked up the speed of his fingers and soon she found herself unable to hold back her orgasm._

 _"Oh no-" she moaned as her toes curled in her heels._

 _She was so close to coming..._

 _"Hinata!"_

 _"Hinata!"_

"Hinata!"

Hinata felt her eyes shoot open, roughly being shaken awake from a dream she shouldn't be dreaming. Her body felt clammy and damp from sweat and as her thighs touched she felt a foreign stickiness between them. She blushed knowing the reason for the uncomfortable mess. Before she could move to clean herself up, a heavyweight jumped onto her and knocked the air out of her stomach.

"Hinata!" Her sister whined. "Wake up dammit!"

Hinata glared at the seventeen-year-old girl sitting on her stomach with her arms crossed over her chest. She was dressed in pink and orange teddy bear pajamas and her hair was a wild mess on her head. Hinata would have found the sight cute if the girl hadn't woken her at the most inconvenient time.

"I'm up Hanabi. What's wrong?" Hinata groaned as she gently pushed Hanabi off of her and sat up.

"I need your help!" She whined.

Hinata glanced at the clock on her wall and noticed that it was almost three in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet! She had been getting up at obscene hours all week just to try to beat her partner to work. Why oh why couldn't she sleep in today of all days?

"It's so early Hana. Can it wait until the sun rises?" Hinata asked as she tried to sink back under her blankets. Her sister was not having that and ripped the sheets away.

"Please! You're the only one I can go to!" She pouted and pulled out the bubble eyes that she used to frequently employ when she was a kid. Hinata sighed and grabbed her sheets back.

"Okay. Okay. I'll help. Now, what's wrong?"

"Really?! Yay!" Hanabi cheered and ran out of the room.

A second later she jumped back on the bed with her phone in hand. She swiped through the device until she opened a photo of a brown-haired boy with a cheeky smile and a mischevious look in his eye. Hinata noted that he looked rather familiar but didn't dwell on it. It was much too early to rack her brain to connect this boy's face with a name.

"Okay, so...it's about a boy." Hanabi started, a faint blush flashing across her cheeks. Hinata frowned. What had she just agreed to help with?

"I want him to notice me, the real me. Not the Hyuuga daughter me. Everyone at school treats me differently because of my last name but he's different. I-I don't know how to explain it."

" It sounds like you have a crush."

"It's more than a crush!" Hanabi insisted, a look of determination in her eye. Hinata knew that look. She had seen it in her own reflection when she herself had been in love. The eldest sighed. That felt like so long ago.

"Alright. So why do you need my help?"

"You are so girly and nice to everyone. I want to know how to do that. Guys like nice girls right?"

Her little sister blushed and picked at her big toe. Hanabi was not the girliest of girls. In fact, she had been raised as the son Hiashi never got to have. She excelled in everything but being feminine was certainly not one of those things. Hinata suspected it had something to do with a lack of their mother's soothing presence that made Hanabi as harsh as she was at times. She didn't think that there was anything wrong with her though. Hanabi was everything _she_ wanted to be. Headstrong. Confident. She was their little firecracker just as her name suggested and, in Hinata's eyes, her little sister was perfect.

"You shouldn't try to change yourself for some guy Hana." Hinata said gently as she tried to smooth down Hanabi's wild brown locks with her fingers.

"But-" Hanabi protested and Hinata just shook her head.

"No buts! If he can't take you as you come, rough edges and all, he doesn't deserve to have you."

"You sound like a mom!"Hanabi pouted. "I'm not trying to change. I just don't want to be one of the boys anymore."

Hinata smiled. If only their mom was here. Would she reiterate what she had just told Hanabi? Would she know what to do about her intrusive new partner? Sometimes she wished she did have a motherly shoulder to lean on but alas it wasn't so. A cough from the doorway caught the sisters' attention and they both looked up to see a rumpled Neji standing in the doorway.

"What are you two doing up?" He yawned and groggily scratched his stomach.

"Go back to bed old man!" Hanabi teased and wrapped her arms around Hinata's waist. "I haven't seen my sister all week. I can be in here if I want to!"

"You have Saturday school you need to get to in a few hours. You don't have the luxury of laying in bed with Hinata." Neji reprimanded. Hanabi stuck her tongue out at him and he growled. "You little brat!"

The next moment Neji was chasing a wily Hanabi around the room, an amusing sight to behold on an early Saturday morning. Hanabi snatched one of the many pillows off of the bed and threw it at her cousin. It would have hit him square in the face if his reflexes weren't so good. Undeterred and full of rebellious energy, Hanabi kept throwing more.

"I don't want to go to Saturday school!"

"You wouldn't have to if you just did as you were told!"

"But I'm smarter than everyone there! It's a waste of my time!"

"Get back here!"

"No!"

 **...**

 **Monday September 5 2017 5:05am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata gulped as she placed her hand on the cold handle of her office door. She had been dreading this moment all weekend, the moment she would have to face the ramifications of her actions. Maybe Sasuke had forgotten what had happened? _Doubtful._ Would he be angry with her for the rejection? That was a much more likely reaction. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about what she had done either. On one hand, she was happy that she had been able to show restraint and not give into her baser instincts. Yet at the same time she was now plagued with inappropriate thoughts of what could have been, thoughts that made her blush whenever she closed her eyes. Maybe Tenten was right. Maybe she was just lonely and needed to get back out there. If she spent time getting to know someone else maybe she wouldn't feel this pull towards him.

Sighing, she turned the doorknob and walked into the room. Sasuke was rapidly typing away at his computer, her mug in his hand and his brow furrowed in concentration. Sakura was sitting on the edge of his desk with her legs crossed and rattling off the opening trades of Uchiha shares for that morning and projected outlooks for the day. Hinata wondered absently just what time her friend woke up to get her makeup that perfect. The woman in question looked up from her tablet when Hinata entered the room and smiled brightly.

"Morning Hinata!" Sakura greeted cheerfully. "Want a bagel?"

"Good morning. I'm good for right now, thank you." She replied softly, noting that Sasuke didn't even seem to have acknowledged her arrival.

Brushing off the obvious snub, she made her way to her desk and powered on her computer.

"What did you get up to this weekend? I went furniture shopping! My mom is beyond happy to have me out of the house again. Can you believe that? I'm her only daughter, she should be happy that I returned!" Sakura prattled on happily as she uncrossed and crossed her legs. "We should have a house warming party to celebrate. It'll be fun! What do you think?"

"Sakura." Sasuke grumbled and the pink haired woman slapped a well-manicured hand over her mouth.

"Oh, here I am rambling! You've got a busy day today!"

"M-me?" Hinata asked, genuinely surprised by the statement since she didn't have any meetings set up for the day. Sakura nodded her head as she swiped on the tablet and held up a complicated, multicolored schedule.

"Yup!" She smiled. "You and Sasuke here more specifically. There's a lot going on this week!"

"B-b-but-" Hinata stammered but was interrupted by Sasuke's deep baritone.

"You got me into this mess Hyuuga, the least you can do is get me out of it."

Hinata gulped as she stared into his dark eyes. It was clear that he didn't take rejection well. Sakura didn't seem to notice her boss boring holes into his partner from behind her. She merely slipped off the desk and scurried over to show her their schedule for the day.

"Don't worry! I've got you covered!"

 **...**

 **Monday, September 3, 2017, 9:35 am**

 **Sabaku Incorporated: Konoha Division**

 **...**

The car ride to their first meeting was...awkward. Neither one of them wanted to be in an enclosed space with one another and Sakura wasn't even there to dispel the negative tension. The bright woman was back at their office to hold down the fort while they were away for the day. Hinata looked out the car window at the city scenery passing by swiftly, a sense of dread filling her. Their first stop was not one she had committed Sasuke to doing so she had no idea what they were in for exactly. This was a task sent down by Fugaku himself. She glanced over at her partner who was scrolling through his phone and doing a very good job at ignoring her. Hinata bit her bottom lip nervously and took a deep breath. Shouldn't they at least address the elephant in the room? She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak.

"Um, Mr. Uchiha-" she began.

"We've arrived!" The driver called and both occupants were snapped out of their own little worlds.

Hinata looked out the window at the sprawling sky scrapper before them, the Sabaku name stamped boldly on the side of the building. She didn't have much time to gawk at the behemoth structure for Sasuke was already getting out of the vehicle and walking towards the entrance. She quickly unbuckled her seat belt and followed behind him. Inside, the building was teeming with people running this way and that; nearly ramming into each other with their briefcases and stacks of paper. Hinata was barely able to dodge a poor intern carrying multiple trays of coffee and donuts as she struggled to keep up with Sasuke's long strides. He seemed to have no trouble navigating through the chaos since everyone gave him a wide breadth. He didn't acknowledge the way the others whispered behind their hands and did double takes when he walked by. When they reached the elevators, they crammed themselves in and Sasuke pressed the button that would take them all the way to the top floor.

"What is _he_ doing here?" A voice grumbled pointedly behind her.

"Shhhh!"

'That's odd.' Hinata thought to herself.

There were more incomprehensible murmurings in the elevator until finally the occupants were cleared out one by one and it stopped on its last destination on the top floor. The pair exited the silent elevator and were greeted by a man with messy brown hair and broad purple eyeliner smudged around his eyes.

"Glad you could finally join us Uchiha." The man said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. His lazy gaze slid over to where Hinata was standing next to Sasuke and smiled at her. Hinata felt an uncomfortable shiver run down her spine as he looked her over. "And who do we have here?"

Sasuke sidestepped in front of her and blocked the hand he was trying to extend.

"Where is your brother?" He asked flatly and the brown haired man's smile widened even further as he retracted his hand.

"Always straight to the point." He grinned. "Right this way."

The man led them down the hall, past rows and rows of honeycombed cubicles whose occupants stopped mid-task to see what they were doing. Hinata did her best to ignore their oppressive stares but she couldn't help but feel like they had walked into a lion's den. Just what exactly was the dynamic between the Uchiha and the Sabaku? Why were they so hostile towards one another? After they cleared the open office space they turned down a hallway that was devoid of ringing phones and prying eyes. At the end of the hallway was a door which the man leading them opened with a sarcastic flare.

"After you." He smirked and gave Hinata a wink as she passed through the door.

The room was dim and contained a long table with several older men seated along the sides. At the head of the table was a man of slim build and fiery red hair. His hands were clasped together on the table and his eyes remained closed until they approach their end of the table. When he opened his eyes Hinata was taken aback by how intense they were. She had never seen eyes that vibrant of a shade of green before and they contrasted violently with his hair. Gaara Sabaku, the youngest owner of a competitive multinational conglomerate who possessed a stare that made grown men cower. Hinata had only seen the man a handful of times at functions her father liked to host from time to time. She had never been in such close proximity before and he was much more intimidating up close, surrounded by what she suspected to be his shareholders and advisors.

"Sabaku." Sasuke greeted and Hinata bowed smoothly.

"Uchiha." Gaara replied, his eyes not leaving Hinata's face. "Ms. Hyuuga, welcome."

The woman blushed from embarrassment under his gaze and tried her best not to fidget. She felt Sasuke stiffen next to her from the exchange but dared not to look at him.

"That will be all Kankuro. Thank you." Gaara said, dismissing his brother from the room.

The man named Kankuro grumbled under his breath a bit but left the room without much protest. Gaara motioned for them to have a seat in the two vacancies in front of them. Next to Gaara, an older man stood and began languidly flipping through his notes. Sasuke tapped his fingers impatiently on the table.

"Why have you invited me here?" He asked bluntly, startling the older man and causing murmurs to erupt between the other occupants. Hinata cast him a furtive glance, astounded by his lack of tact.

"W-w-well!" The man flubbed before gaining his composure. "It has come to our attention that the Uchiha are beginning to lose their edge-"

"It is best that we cut our losses now before things go too far and connection to your name drags us down as well!" Another man spoke up, glaring at Sasuke from across the room.

Hinata looked around the room, shocked at the glares being pointed in Sasuke's direction. The murmurs of the advisors grew louder as they agreed with the two men currently standing. While the other men were riling themselves up, Sasuke and Gaara continued to stare each other down, impassively ignoring the bluster that surrounded them.

"Who is feeding you this garbage?" Sasuke asked smoothly, not breaking eye contact.

"Unfortunately we are getting this information from a very reliable source." Gaara responded. "It is a tip from a source that even you would be hard pressed to label 'Garbage.'"

"You are willing to piss away a multimillion dollar trade deal on a 'tip'?"

"It is more than just a tip young man!"

"How _dare_ you question our decisions?"

"We are doing what is best for our company!"

The rabble rousers cheered each other on, taking swipe after swipe on what they perceived to be the precipice of the Uchiha's downfall. Hinata watched Sasuke's jaw tighten as he tried to keep his short temper under control.

"We have advised Gaara to pull out of all negotiations between our company and yours seeing as how your stocks are going to turn toxic."

"What you are saying is very far from the truth and in fact is rather insulting to our competence." Sasuke sneered at the portly advisor that made the comment.

"An insult? _An insult_?! It is insulting that _your father_ couldn't stand here like a man and face us himself with some kind of dignity. He thinks that we are beneath him and not worth his time since he clearly can't send anyone else except for his spare." The man spat and the room erupted into raucous laughter.

"An incompetent spare at that!"

"You have no right to even be in this room boy! Where is your brother? Too busy to grace us with his presence as well?"

Hinata pursed her lips together at the insults that they continued to fling at the youngest Uchiha. Something wasn't right. She could tell that not everyone in the room believed in the noxious information being spewed but none seemed to want to voice their opinions. They laughed uncomfortably with smiles that didn't meet their eyes and fidgeted in their seats. Sasuke began to rise from his seat but she placed a hand on his arm and stood up instead. The men in the room continued to snicker but quelled a bit.

"Ms. Hyuuga." Gaara said with a slight nod of his head. Hinata bowed gracefully at his acknowledgment before speaking.

"I am not aware of where you are getting this information but the Hyuuga stand firmly behind the Uchiha." Hinata said, her voice firmer and more confident than she felt on the inside. The men around her scoffed in their seats and rolled their eyes.

"Pft. Who are you to declare such a thing? You're nothing but a little girl. Have a seat and let the grown men finish talking." A skinny man sniffed as he looked down his nose at her.

"I am Hinata Hyuuga. Heiress to Hyuuga Enterprises and I will remember every slight taken against us when I take my rightful place." Hinata glared and the man had the decency to demure slightly. "You will find this country a rather hostile place to do business if you continue down this path."

"That is all well and good," the portly man from earlier spoke up. "But the source we have foretells nothing but disaster for the Uchiha Corporation, what incentive do we have to continue negotiations and bind ourselves further to a sinking ship?"

"You have the backing of my family. For the last five years, Sabaku has been trying to compete against us for several lucrative government contracts involving imports from where your main headquarters is in Suna. If you continue your trade deal with the Uchihas you will have my promise that we will not try to block your entry and will not outbid you when the next contract comes up. You will have a guarantee of our collaboration."

The room vibrated with low mumbles between the advisors. Hinata took a deep breath as she stared into the intense, unwavering eyes of Sabaku's leader.

"A _promise_?" one of the advisors scoffed. "What good is a promise from a little girl? Why-"

Gaara raised his hand and the advisor immediately fell over himself to choke on his own words. Hinata held her head high as Gaara began to speak.

"It is a promise from the future leader of the Hyuuga," Gaara said simply.

"B-b-but sir!" One of the flabberghasted men protested but Gaara silenced him with a glare. The other occupants held their breath.

"We will continue all current deals we have with the Uchiha but put any other potential avenues for new negotiations on hold until we see our source proven wrong." Gaara announced as he leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes. "That will be all. You may now leave Uchiha, Ms. Hyuuga."

The door to the conference room opened and Kankuro was standing there to usher them out. The door had barely been shut behind them when the advisers exploded. Hinata let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding and placed a hand over her erratic heart. Kankuro snickered as he led them down the hall, through the gossiping employees, and back to the elevators.

"I heard what you said in there little Hyuuga." Kankuro smirked. "You have some balls to stand up to those old farts."

"I-I-it was nothing!" Hinata stammered, unable to accept his praise.

"How about you and I get to know each other better over coffee?" Kankuro asked suggestively as he pressed the button for the elevator. "I'm sure you have many other interesting things going on in that pretty head of yours. So what do ya say?"

"I-" she started but gasped when she felt Sasuke's arm wrap around her shoulders and push her into the empty elevator as soon as the doors opened.

"Go fuck yourself Kankuro." He hissed and the Sabaku brother howled with laughter as the elevator doors closed.

Hinata could barely question his rough treatment when she felt her back hit the wall of the elevator and Sasuke's lips came crashing down on hers. He bit her lower lip causing her to gasp and allowing him full access to her mouth. She clutched the front of his shirt, half of her wanted to push him away and the other wanted to pull him in closer. Amidst the coaxing of his tongue, the latter half won out and she found herself fully drowning in his violent embrace. Whatever he was feeling, whatever he couldn't verbally express, he was trying to get out in this one kiss. It was dizzying, to say the least.

Just as abruptly as it began, he broke away from her and schooled his face back to the impassive mask he always wore. She was left breathless, unable to compose herself the way he seemed to be so good at doing. She blushed furiously and stared at her feet as she pressed her fingers to her lips. They tingled even more intensely than their first encounter. Sasuke cleared his throat awkwardly and she looked up to see his broad back standing stiffly before her. His shoulders were tense as he shoved his hands into his pockets. The elevator dinged to alert them that the doors were about to open.

"Thank you."

 ** _To be continued..._**

 **CCNote: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a review, Until next time!**


	7. Working with the Enemy

**CCNote: Happy Canada from Japan! This is an early update and longest chapter so far! Fueled by the unexpected outpouring of support for this story, the Hamilton soundtrack, and as always a bottle of red wine. Please give love to PrincessJelly for their input on this chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Working with the Enemy**

 **Monday, September 3, 2017, 7:37 pm**

 **Akamichi Lodge**

 **...**

 _"Thank you."_

It must have been a fluke. Her ears must not have been working properly for there was no way that Sasuke Uchiha, arguably the most ungrateful person she'd ever encountered, had _thanked her_. Not only that, he had kissed her and that thought alone would have been enough to have her mind running in circles if their schedule wasn't so hectic. The awkward air that had surrounded them from before had dissipated and had been replaced with nothing but business. It was easy for her to push the kiss in the elevator away when she had to shake hands and trade pleasantries with strangers. The rest of the meetings for the day went off without a hitch, no one had taken as much liberty as the Sabaku shareholders had and for that Hinata was relieved. She wasn't sure she had the energy nor the capital for a repeat performance. After the rigamarole they had gone through today she now knew _why_ Sakura was Sasuke's assistant and why he was so against adding more to his already full plate. It wasn't all bad though. The employees they spoke with appeared more than excited to meet with one of their company's mysterious heads.

"We are not able to amend the agreement. Your profit margins have been in the decline every quarter so far this year. We cannot give you more-"

Now that the day was winding down to their final event she was able to breathe a little bit. From the corner of her eye, she saw the group that they were supposed to be meeting pull up to the front of the restaurant in a small brigade of sleek black cars. Out of the cars stepped several members of the Inuzuka family and their companions. The Inuzukas were the quintessential essence of what her father liked to call new money. Outside of a handful of events she really didn't have much interaction with the family. She knew that they had made a lot of money buying and selling exotic animals and furs all over the world. That market, while lucrative, was highly volatile. It depended too much on the tastes of the time and was nothing her father would seek to invest in. The Uchiha, on the other hand, had a strained working relationship with the family whenever there was a need that would mutually benefit both parties.

"We do not have time for would haves or could haves. Your director deliberately disobeyed our orders-"

Luckily there was no real business to negotiate through this dinner, it was just a way to keep the lines of communication open between the two companies. She looked over at Sasuke who still had his phone glued to his ear before tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. He glanced down at her, then in the direction of the Inuzukas and tried to wrap up the phone call but whoever was on the other end wasn't budging. From the sound of their conversation, things were not going to end well for the caller. With a sigh of defeat, she gave up waiting for Sasuke to finish the call and walked over to greet the new arrivals who were milling about the entrance. At her approach, the matriarch of the Inuzuka ushered their horde into the restaurant. The only one left standing by her side was her son and heir Kiba.

"Hello." Hinata said warmly when she reached them and gave a low, well-practiced bow. "It is an honor to meet with you today."

"The pleasure is all ours." Tsume said with a broad smile. "It's quite the surprise to have you join us today."

"Yea, I'm sure you are much better company than Ice Prince over there!" Kiba laughed and his mother elbowed him in the ribs.

Hinata blushed at their remarks and mumbled an apology on Sasuke's behalf. Kiba offered her his arm and a smile that hadn't faltered despite his mother's reprimand.

"Let's head in shall we?"

Hinata looked back at Sasuke who was still on the phone before taking the arm that was offered to her. The inside of the Akamichi restaurant was...interesting. Every single one of the tables and chairs were artfully mismatched and animal horns hung from the light fixtures and walls. There were several taxidermied animal heads mounted on the walls, staring down at the diners below. Even though the rustic atmosphere wasn't something her father would endorse it had an interesting quality to it. As Kiba and Tsume led her through the busy dining room towards the more reserved private rooms in the back, she did her best to ignore the double takes and low whispers of people who recognized who she was. She couldn't fault them for their curiosity, this certainly wasn't the usual place that one would find a Hyuuga. When they finally reached their room, Kiba pulled out a chair for her to sit in before taking one himself and his mother took her place at the head of the long wooden table. The matriarch raised her glass and clinked her fork against it to get the attention of her noisy companions.

"We have a surprise guest with us tonight!" Tsume announced with a flourish of her outstretched palm in Hinata's direction. Hinata blushed and stood up from her chair.

"Thank you for having me!" She squeaked and bowed quickly before the Inuzuka who all laughed.

"No need to be so formal dear! When you are with us, you're family!" Tsume smiled as Hinata's blush deepened.

"We are more than happy to have a Hyuuga among our midst. Even if all of you are rather uptight!" A woman said from directly across the table with a feral but welcoming smile on her face. She outstretched her hand for Hinata to shake it. "I'm Hana by the way!"

Hinata hesitantly shook her hand and Kiba snickered next to her.

"You sure are a charmer sis." He said sarcastically as he rested his chin on his palm. Hana rolled her eyes and resumed paying attention to the head of the table.

"Tonight there will be no talk of business. Please relax and feel welcome!" Tsume said and the raucous group held up their beer glasses and cheered.

Hinata smiled, their energy was rather infectious. She raised her own heavy mug to her lips and took a small sip. Kiba shook his head in disapproval and clicked his tongue.

"That's not how you drink a beer." He smirked and held up his own mug to his lips. " _This_ is how you do it!"

Hinata's eyes widened as he swiftly emptied the contents of a heavy mug that was roughly the size of his head down his throat. He didn't even appear to pause for air. When the beer had vanished the table cheered and he slammed the heavy glass back down on the table. A server quickly took the empty mug away and replaced it with a fresh one. Kiba leaned back in his chair and grinned at Hinata.

"Now you try." He said and Hinata shook her head.

"There's no way! I-I can't!" She replied but the Inuzuka were hearing none of it. Soon fists were pounding on the table and chants of 'Chug, Chug, Chug, Chug' reverberated through the room.

Not wanting to disappoint them she squeezed her eyes closed and brought the mug to her lips. She tried to drink as much of the bitter, hoppy liquid as she could but it was a much more daunting task despite how effortless Kiba made it look. She was only able to make it about a quarter of the way through her glass before she had to give up. The crowd groaned at her defeat but Kiba waved them off.

"She's just an amateur, an amateur!" He laughed. "The whole lot of ya are alcoholics! Nothing to brag about!"

The Inuzuka howled with laughter along with him and went back to boisterously conversing amongst themselves. Hinata felt her face heat up even more as she placed her mug back onto the table. Kiba turned to her and flashed a toothy smile.

"Don't mind them. They're no better than a pack of animals."

Hinata returned his smile with a small one of her own, her blush of embarrassment finally starting to recede.

"Hinata, right?" He asked and she nodded her head. "Want to know a trick?"

Hinata nodded her head again tentatively, not sure what he had in store. Kiba scooted his chair closer to hers and exchanged her beer with his.

"If you are going to be with us, you have to drink like us. First, sit all the way to the back of your chair." He instructed as he placed a hand on her shoulder to pull her back. She leaned back into the chair as she was told and flinched when she realized how close Kiba was sitting to her. "The secret is to breathe through your nose as you're drinking and to relax."

"Next, you need to drop your jaw when you're drinking, otherwise your mouth is too tight to take in everything. Just relax and take a deep breath. Now try it."

Hinata hesitantly brought the mug to her lips again and attempted to follow Kiba's simple instructions. She hesitated a bit but the bright, encouraging smile on his face reminded her of a certain blonde she wanted to forget. She squeezed her eyes closed to get rid of the negative thought and began chugging the beer the way she had been instructed. As soon as the foamy liquid hit the back of her throat, Inuzuka hands began pounding rhythmically on the table.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

"I can't believe she's doing it!" Hana laughed.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Kiba and his family made drinking in this manner look so easy but it really wasn't. The volume of their cheers mounted, filling the intimate space up and encouraging her further. Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, the beer stopped flowing and the Inuzukas went wild and their energy was infectious. She slammed her mug down on the table the way she had seen Kiba do earlier with a broad smile on her face and a sense of accomplishment. Kiba grabbed her hand and dramatically raised it up high as though she had just won a cage match. Inuzuka hands drumrolled excitedly on the table, even Tsume joined in on the noise.

"The champion!" Kiba declared and his family cheered.

"What is going on here?" A monotonous voice cut through the overly excited atmosphere that the room had created.

Kiba lowered her hand and she looked over to see Sasuke standing in the doorway, his face as impassive as always. Kiba leaned back in his chair and took a big gulp from his mug.

"Well look who finally decided to grace us with his presence!" Kiba said with a sarcastic smirk which quickly dissipated as some of the young female members of his family began to drag Sasuke from the door and to the table.

Sasuke didn't rise to Kiba's poorly veiled jab but instead bowed in acknowledgment to the Inuzuka matriarch at the head of the table and allowed himself to be led to sit on her left side. Hinata noted the prominence with which they had placed the youngest Uchiha. While she was seated in the center of the table next to Kiba, Sasuke had been placed in proximity to the concentration of power. Hinata watched as women her age and younger flirted shamelessly with Sasuke, batting their eyelashes and slyly touching his arms and hands. Hinata felt her face form a grimace when one of the women had the audacity to squeeze his upper arm and suddenly it clicked.

They weren't talking about business but this entire meeting was nothing but. The women of the Inuzuka were being used to gain interest from the Uchiha. If there was a strong personal tie, the Uchiha would probably fund their endeavors further or feel more inclined to include them in future ventures. Her eyes narrowed as one woman placed had a slender hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. He expertly removed her hand and engaged Tsume in conversation. Hinata had to hand it to the man, he was slick. The woman on his other side hadn't even realized that she had been rejected. Hinata raised her new mug of beer to her lips to hide the uncontrollable smile that was working it's way to her lips. Why should she care if the Inuzuka were making a blatant power play to rise to greater prominence? This was company politics 101 so why did she feel satisfied seeing Sasuke's rejection of their advances? She shouldn't. It was inappropriate to care what he did with his personal life but for some reason, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

A guilty, petulant part of her didn't want him to kiss any of these Inuzuka women the way that he had kissed her only a few short hours ago at the Sabaku headquarters. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she recalled the feeling of his body pressed against hers and the heat that radiated from his touch. As though he could read her mind, his gaze turned from Tsume to her. Obsidian eyes pinned her to her chair and made her feel exposed to the crowd of near strangers that surrounded them. He slowly brought his mug to his lips as he seemed to blatantly undress her with his eyes. A distinct moisture began to dampen her panties and she clamped her legs together under the table.

Hinata looked away from his intense gaze and pretended to be more interested in whatever Kiba was talking about. Instinctively she nodded along appropriately and for all intents and purposes, she knew she looked as though she were an equal participant in this conversation. Unfortunately, her mind was elsewhere and her body was tense. She shouldn't be feeling this way. Why was he able to illicit such immoral reactions from her with nothing more than a look? Her mind flashed back to the kiss he had stolen in the elevator and a warmth spread from her center all the way to her toes. She bit her bottom lip and, against her better judgment, chanced a quick glance in his direction. He wore a smirk on his face as though he knew exactly what she was thinking and had no remorse for making those thoughts exist in the first place.

 **...**

 **Tuesday, September 4, 2017, 3:19 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

The next morning she had a _slight_ hangover from drinking more than she had realized with the Inuzuka and their cohorts. There was nothing worse than rolling into work early on a Tuesday morning with a hangover. It had taken all of her energy just to roll out of bed and throw on her least wrinkled lavender blouse and beige slacks. She used what little effort she had left to put on a matching pair of tennis shoes and shoved a pair of large dark sunglasses on her face to hide the bags under her bloodshot eyes. It certainly wasn't a get up that her father would have approved of but the fortunate thing about arriving early is that she didn't pass anyone of importance who might report her condition back to him.

Last night had been a lot of fun overall. The Inuzuka were overly friendly, overly excited, and overly obnoxious. Her ears were still ringing from all of the noise that they had made in the restaurant. It was a surprise that none of the servers were bothered by their raucous attitude and just kept the beer flowing freely. Her glass was never emptied for more than a few seconds before it was replaced with a fresh one which made it difficult to keep track of how much she drank. She placed her forehead on the cold metal of the elevator doors and took a deep breath as a wave of nausea rolled through her body. Never, ever again would she try to keep pace with them.

The elevator doors slid open and she slowly made her way down the nearly deserted floor to her office. It was torture just to slide one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, there wasn't too much to do so early in the morning and she might be able to take a small nap before Sakura and Sasuke arrived. When she reached the door to her office she sucked in another deep breath as the intensity of her headache increased and another wave of nausea hit. She tightened her hold on the doorknob and prayed that she had a bottle of pills stashed away in her desk that would help relieve her from this hangover. When the onslaught finally lessened to find it unsurprisingly occupied. The office was dark since the sun hadn't even risen yet and the overhead lights remained untouched. The only light in the room was her partner's active computer screen steadily typing random letters across the screen. She could barely make out his slumped over silhouette.

"Did he not go home?" Hinata mumbled under breath, concerned since she knew that he had even more to drink than she had.

She tried to close the office door behind her softly but the clicking of the lock caused Sasuke to jolt upright at his desk and squint into the darkness at who had intruded.

"Sakura?" He groaned as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"No," Hinata whispered as she shook her head even though she knew he couldn't see her. "It's me."

"Hyuuga." He replied. She heard his chair squeak as he stood up. "What time is it?"

Hinata glanced down at her watch. She couldn't read the numbers without the lights on. She felt around on the wall next to her for the light switch and flicked it on. Both she and Sasuke sucked in sharp breaths as the florescent lights only added to their mutual discomfort. She looked back down at her watch but the numbers all jumbled together and she felt as though she were seeing double. The back of her throat stung as she felt the impending sting of bile bubble up.

"Hyuuga." Sasuke said as he noticed how scary her half hidden face looked with the lights on. He walked around from behind his desk and made his way over to her.

"Hyuuga." He repeated.

It was only when he put his hands on her shoulders that she realized that she was swaying where she stood. She shrugged his assistance away, he hadn't changed his clothes from the night before and so he still reeked of stale beer and cigars. It only served to further fuel her nausea. Placing her hand over her mouth, she swayed as she tried to make her way over to her desk. If she just sat down this nauseous feeling would surely pass? _Wrong_. She took three more desperate step towards her desk and the bile she had been holding in burst through her resolve and would have landed on the hardwood floor if Sasuke had not had pressed a small trashcan against her chest and held it steady.

She could hear her vomit hitting the bottom of the plastic trashcan and the sound only made her want to throw up more. She sank down to her knees and Sasuke followed suit. She held her puke bucket close as she felt tears of embarrassment pinprick behind her eyes and another wave of vomit came up her throat. Sasuke didn't say anything even though his face was just as pale as hers was. Instead, he sat beside her and pulled her hair off of her sweaty neck and kept the long dark strands from mixing with the bile in the trashcan.

It took another forty minutes for her to finally empty the entire contents of her stomach and while she felt better she was even more exhausted than before. She groaned as Sasuke adjusted her so that she was now lying in his lap. Moving hurt but it felt good to lay her head down. Sasuke's nimble fingers ran through her now damp hair, making her forget her discomfort and lulling her to sleep.

 **…..**

 **Tuesday, September 4, 2017, 6:15 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke sighed as he leaned back against the front of Hinata's desk. The troublesome woman had finally ceased her spewing spree and had fallen asleep. Mentally he kicked himself since it was his fault that she was like this anyway. The Inuzukas never knew when to stop and he should have known that Hinata would succumb to their infectious habits. He had thought it wouldn't be so bad since it was a weeknight but he had been woefully mistaken. He hadn't been able to take more than a sip before his glass was topped off again. Even when he stopped drinking for more than a few minutes the women around him tried to engage him in other activities and conversations, none of which interested him so he just kept drinking more. He had the tolerance though to push through the copious amounts of alcohol that had been consumed. Hinata did not.

He opened his eyes a little and looked down at the ashen-faced woman using his thigh as a pillow. He really, really should have known better but what was done was done. At the very least the Inuzukas had enjoyed her company and having her presence there in the room made the entire ordeal slightly more bearable. As he looked down at her sleeping peacefully he was reminded of that morning he had woken up next to her. That morning had been strange since his usual urge to immediately kick her out of bed didn't surface. Instead, he was content to let her sleep a little longer for it allowed him to selfishly commit her face to memory. At the time he had thought that he'd never see her again but fate clearly had other plans. He pushed her sweaty bangs off of her forehead and closed his eyes again. Maybe he should follow her lead and try to get a bit of sleep in as well...

"What the hell is that smell?" A scandalized voice said as they opened the door to the office. Sasuke groaned and squeezed his eyes closed as though it would make the intruder disappear. Sakura's head poked into the office, her nose scrunched up at the noxious fumes he had gotten used to smelling. When she spotted him and Hinata on the floor her mouth fell open.

"Sasuke? Hinata!" She shrieked. Hinata groaned in his lap from her volume and Sasuke sent her a weak glare.

"Why are you yelling?" He mumbled and Sakura quickly made her way across the room.

"Sasuke what is going on?" She asked, jumping back as she accidentally touched the trashcan with the tip of her shoe. "Oh my god!"

"Sakura-" Sasuke growled. "Stay here."

"But-"She began to protest but was silenced by another glare.

Sasuke gingerly adjusted Hinata off of his lap and laid her head gently on the floor. The small woman whimpered a little but quickly settled down. He grabbed the offensive trashcan, unperturbed by the contents sloshing within, and made his way to the door.

"Stay here until I get back. There's another trash can under her desk if she needs it again but I believe she is done." He said as he walked through the door.

"Sasuke-" he heard her call out down the hallway but he ignored her.

When he returned a little over thirty minutes later, Hinata was still asleep where he had left her but this time her head was on Sakura's lap. He set down the plastic bag he was carrying and fished around his new clothing for a bottle of aspirin and water. He quickly swallowed two of the pills himself and brought the bottle over to the two women. Sakura shook the sleeping Hyuuga awake gently and pale puffy eyes blinked up at them. She squeezed her eyes close and sat up slowly with Sakura's assistance.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled weakly and Sasuke rolled his eyes. He handed her two pills and the bottled water of which she took quickly.

"Sakura, cancel our morning meetings-"Sasuke started but Hinata shook her head vigorously.

"Don't you dare! There is too much to do." The small woman protested.

"You are in no condition to work." He replied firmly. "You are hungover."

"So are you!"

"Now where have I heard that before." He said with a smirk and crossed his arms over his chest. Hinata blushed but still looked up at him defiantly. "Fine. Just don't slow me down."

Hinata's eyes quickly turned from defiant to surprise before finally settling on determined as she stood up on shaky legs. He had to admit that her stubbornness was impressive. He was curious to see just how stubborn this woman truly was. Sakura stood up as well, genuinely perplexed as to what in the world was going on. Sasuke reached into his plastic bag and pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste and tossed it at Hinata who was barely able to catch it.

"Brush your teeth. We leave in an hour."

 **…..**

 **Wednesday, September 5, 2017, 2:47 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **….**

"Mr. Uchiha, do you have any plans later? I have some _difficulties_ with some of the lower branches."

Hinata shifted uncomfortably in her seat and slid her chair over slightly to allow the blonde woman to squeeze between her and Sasuke. There was a plenty of room around the large circular conference table and yet so many of the woman saw fit to crowd around Sasuke to get their 'proposals' heard or their requisitions signed. The dynamics of Hyuuga employees was so much different from the Uchiha. It had only been an hour earlier that this same had been surrounded by Hyuuga Enterprise's main branch department heads and none of them would have dared to take the liberties that many of the Uchiha women seemed to take. They talked over each other and undercut one another's accomplishments at every turn. Hinata wasn't naive to think that the office politics of her family's company was above the fray. Whenever Hanabi was wondering around the different floors she always came back with juicy gossip and office intrigue. The only difference between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha was that the former was more stealthy while the latter stabbed each other in the open.

"I could have sworn that you said you had your divisions under control." A tall dark haired woman interjected. She raised a hand and covered her mouth in mock shock. "If you needed help you could have just asked. My department is more than capable of picking up your slack."

Hinata looked up from the papers in front of her to observe the squabbling women. It was a scene much like the one on Monday night with the Inuzuka's. Sakura's words from before had been reiterating themselves over and over again throughout this meeting. _'Many of them are just trying to fuck their way to power.'_ The thinly veiled flirtations and the sly invitations to stay after to help with a project were more salacious than Hinata had expected. Aside from the fact that they kept _touching him,_ their petty power plays were eating up time that could be spent doing more productive things. Things like...her mind drew a blank. She wasn't quite sure what else they had on the agenda for that afternoon but she knew that she wanted to get as far away from this room as possible. As uncomfortable as she was, she resisted the urge to fidget.

"Thank you, Mr. Uchiha." A man said with a bow as Sasuke passed a now approved requisition his way and another man stood up to hand the Uchiha yet another stack of contracts that needed his signature.

She watched as Sasuke's dark eyes glided smoothly over each page and his brow furrow slightly in concentration. Even without trying he still looked handsome. She frowned at the thought and bit her bottom lip. She should _not_ be having these kinds of thoughts. After her gut-wrenching display yesterday morning he probably found her to be rather disgusting now. She sank deeper into her chair as the embarrassment she had been feeling in waves throughout the day rolled back through. It only served to further sour her mood as she looked around at some of the gorgeous employees that surrounded him like moths to a flame.

Just as Hinata thought that they were finished another folder slid his way, it's owner placing a hand on Sasuke's forearm and batting their eyelashes excessively. Hinata felt her chest tighten with an unfamiliar feeling at the anything but innocent gesture. Why did this bother her? Hinata was used to being ignored, in fact, she favored shying away from the spotlight in most instances, however, she was not willing to subject herself to another minute of 'who can fuck the boss' any longer. She closed her folder of documents and stood up from her chair.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked and she didn't look at him, instead focusing on the glass table in front of her.

"I am heading back up to the office. My services are not required here. I trust that you can handle everything on your own." She said as diplomatically as possible.

They had been getting along well all week and she didn't want to rock the boat just because she felt uncomfortable. Sasuke didn't seem to approve of her self-dismissal as he closed the folder in front of him and leaned back in his chair.

"That will be all for today." Sasuke announced and a grumble tumbled through the room.

The employees all bowed to Sasuke and filed out of the room. The woman who had inserted herself between them purposefully bumped against Hinata's shoulder as she left. When the last person left and the door closed, Hinata finally spoke up.

"You didn't have to tell them to leave." She said softly.

"They were beginning to bother me." Sasuke said with a shrug of his shoulders. Hinata frowned.

"Sasuke-" She started but he held up his hand to silence her protest.

"Do you hear that?" He asked.

Hinata looked at him curiously. All she could hear was the distant ringing of phones and constant muffled rushing of people passing by the conference room door. Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking at her again.

"That's the sound of no one demanding your attention and time." He explained. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"I think it wouldn't be so bad if you actually responded to requests in a timely manner and didn't let your female employees run rag shot over each other to get to you." Hinata grumbled under her breath but he caught every word.

"Jealous Hyuuga?"

"Wh-what?" She stammered a blush creeping up to her cheeks as he rose from his chair and towered over her.

"Do you feel uncomfortable seeing other women near me?"

Hinata glared at him but couldn't refute his statement. It _did_ make her uncomfortable. Why that was so, she was unsure of but she knew she wasn't jealous. She had never been jealous of anything in her whole life!

"N-n-no!"

She cursed herself for her unconvincing denial. Sasuke grinned as he cornered her against the edge of the glass hands automatically flew up to his chest to push him away but he didn't budge an inch.

"You shouldn't be this close! This is unprofessional!" She squeaked as she looked everywhere but at him and he chuckled.

"I didn't hear this much protest from you the other day."

"You surprised me!"

"You didn't seem to mind it."

His fingers brushed her warm cheek as he wound his fingers through her hair and forced her to look up at him.

"I can try again if you want to test my theory."

Hinata blushed and opened her mouth to protest but held her weak retort. A bigger part of her _wanted_ to feel his lips on hers again. In his embrace, she felt desired. Sinful. It was an intoxicating feeling and despite all of her training and modesty she couldn't help but covet him as well. Would it be so wrong to actually give into the tension she felt whenever she was around him? It wasn't like anyone had to know what they did behind closed doors. His obsidian eyes slid close as he leaned down and captured her lips. The same tingle she always felt when he kissed her surged through her veins. The tightening she had felt in her chest earlier lessened as he picked up the intensity of the kiss. He groaned when rubbed up against his prominent erection and she smiled against his lips knowing that none of the women from earlier would have the privilege of hearing that lustful sound. Not if she could help it. She tangled her fingers in his dark hair and allowed what little resolve she had built up against him to slip. Why did kissing him have to feel so good? They were standing at the precipice of something unspoken and dangerous. Something that they would both surely regret once they were thinking clearly. A soft knock on the conference room dragged her back to reality. Sasuke took a step back from her with a satisfied smirk on his face as he tried to wipe her pale pink lipstick from his lips.

"I heard some of the harpies down the hall complaining," Sakura smiled as she waltzed into the conference room. "apparently you forced _Mr. Uchiha_ to kick them all out? Well done!"

Her bubbly friend looked between Hinata and Sasuke with concern at the tense air between them.

"Everything okay?"

 **….**

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 12:19 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"I must say that I'm impressed," Neji said as he finally put down his tablet and looked up at them.

Hinata beamed at her cousin's approval while Sasuke knew that he looked bored out of his mind. The day was almost over and he wanted nothing more than to finally get some sleep after a hectic week.

"I honestly thought that the two of you would be a disaster together but from what I've gathered that was the incorrect assumption."

The Hyuuga male stood up from his desk and grabbed two thick manila folders off of his desk and handed one to each of them. He then leaned against the front of his desk with his arms crossed. While Hinata poured over the material he didn't bother to even open the folder. He'd already been forwarded all of the information by his brother that morning. It wasn't necessary to look at it again. When Hinata finished reading her folder she looked up at Neji with eyes as wide as saucers. Her cousin just smiled and shook his head.

"It is only a press release Hina. It has to be done sooner or later and since this _will_ be a rather high-profile merger, sooner is always better."

Hinata glanced over at him but there wasn't much he could do to reassure her. This press release had nothing to do with him and everything to do with his brother. Itachi was the heir, not him, there was not a single thing he could do to help her when she was up on that stage.

"Don't worry Hinata, I've have heard that you have done a very good job this week. Itachi will be in tomorrow to help you with your joint speech for next week."

Hinata didn't appear too reassured by her cousin's words but she nodded her head anyway. Sasuke glanced down at his watch, 12:21, Itachi's plane would be landing soon. His brow furrowed slightly as the Hyuugas continued prattling on about things he had no idea about. For a family that appeared as cold as this one, they sure seemed to be warm towards each other. It was almost a shame that he had to cut their little reunion short. He stood up from his chair and headed for the door. Hinata looked at the clock and jumped up as well.

"Sorry, Neji! We have to go pick up Itachi from the airport!" He heard her say hurriedly as she tried to catch up with him down the hall.

Her light footsteps racing to catch up with him was amusing but he slowed down his stride slightly to keep her from struggling too much.

"Wait up!" She called but he kept going. "Sasuke!"

He stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway and she hit his back with an oomph and landed on her butt. He looked down at the woman on the ground with a sense of amusement as he watched her rub her butt from the rough impact of the floor. She glared up at him as best as she could and it only further served to amuse him.

"You should watch where you're going Hyuuga." he teased and had to stop himself from laughing when her cheeks puffed up in irritation. She was so easy to mess with.

He held out his hand to her to help her up from the floor but she smacked the hand away and got up on her own. She crossed her arms over her chest and began walking quickly down the hall. Since his legs were longer he quickly caught up to her. She shot him a glare and picked up her pace. Each time he met her speed, she sped up more until she was almost running down the hall. Sasuke chuckled to himself at her desperate attempts to stay mad at him and leave him behind. It was... _cute_. When they finally got to the door of their office, he grabbed her wrist pressed her up against the door before she could open it. He enjoyed the way her pale eyes widened and the blush that spread across her cheeks.

He looked to the left and to the right and seeing that the hallway was empty, kissed her. Small hands hit his chest in protest but he ignored them. He had been thinking about kissing her since yesterday. They barely had any time alone the last forty-eight hours and her lips had been taunting him. When they finally broke apart she glared up at him weakly but pulled him back down for another kiss. Even though he fully enjoyed kissing the Hyuuga princess in the middle of the hallway they had other things that required their immediate attention, namely collecting his brother from the airport. He pecked her on the lips one last time before stepping away and smoothing down the front of his shirt that had become wrinkled. Hinata cleared her throat awkwardly and he couldn't help but feel smug that the blush on her cheeks didn't go away.

When she finally didn't look so flustered, Sasuke reached around her and opened the door to their office. Inside, Sakura was arranging a startlingly large bouquet of red roses on the low table in the middle of the room. Sasuke wrinkled his nose as the sappy sweet smell engulfed his senses. Sakura was beaming from ear to ear as though she were about to explode. He glanced down at Hinata who looked just as perplexed as he felt on the inside.

"Where did those come from?" Sasuke asked and Sakura squealed.

"I haven't opened the letter yet!"

"Who are they for?" Hinata asked, genuine confusion laced in her voice.

"Silly, like you don't know!" Sakura said slyly, grinning from ear to ear. Her smile faltered a bit as she noticed the perplexed look on Hinata's face.

She stood up from the low table and skipped over to when the two of them still stood in the doorway. In her hand was a red envelope, the name _'Hinata Hyuuga'_ elegantly written across the front.

"They're for you!"

 ** _To be continued..._**

 ** _CC_ Note: My apologies if it was a bit too long. Until next time!**


	8. Dates for Days

**CCNote: Thank you so much for all of your support for this story! I can believe that over 150 people are actually following this story!**

 ** _To the person who is offering to send me wine for motivation:_ I have plenty but you are the real MVP lol!**

 _ **To the person who saw Hamilton on Broadway:**_ **Just know that I hate you (jk only love) and I am suuuuuper jealous that you got to see such an iconic production live!**

 _ **To the person who always reviews in French:**_ **Je suis tres heureuxs quand vous ecrivez des critiques! Vous etes tres gentil! (Thats eight years of learning French put to use right there. Sorry if its a bit rusty. I wasn't a good student.)**

 **Even though I am unable to respond to all of the reviews, know that I read every single one and they do help to inspire me as I write. I love getting feedback from readers and it makes me very happy. A happy writer = more updates! Shouts out to my extremely patient beta PrincessJelly! I now present to you the longest Thursday in all of existence. Enjoy!**

 **Dates for Days**

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 12:45 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **.**

 _'They're for you!'_

"Me?" Hinata said.

She was genuinely confused as to who would even think of sending her flowers, let alone sending them directly to her office. The high-quality parchment of the red envelope felt weighty in her hands. She was almost afraid to open it. She looked up at Sasuke who was standing tense next to her but his face remained unreadable. Sakura seemed to sense her hesitancy and took the envelope back.

"If you won't open it, I will!" The pink haired woman said with a smile. Hinata held her breath as Sakura opened the envelope with a quick flourish and her eyes scanned over the invitation. It only took thirty seconds before she screamed.

"Oh my _god_!"

"Wh-what?" Hinata stammered and went to take the envelope back but Sakura skipped away.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"

"Sakura!"

Hinata tried to catch her friend but the woman was much too excited to have whatever juicy bit of information she was holding onto. She skipped around the low table in the center of the room, a giant smile on her face.

"You are such a sly girl! How come you didn't tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"This is so romantic! I think I'm going to burst!"

"Sakura." Sasuke said sternly when he finally unfroze from the door and walked over to his desk.

The sharpness of his tone made the excited woman stop running and give up the letter. Hinata held it to her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

"You are such a party pooper." She said with a frown as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Hinata looked back down at the card and opened it. The penmanship was elegant and concise, something she had never managed to accomplish despite her tutor's constant criticism of her messy handwriting.

 _Please do me the honor of joining me for coffee this afternoon. I will be awaiting you in the lobby._

 _-G. Sabaku_

Hinata felt her jaw drop as she reread the short message several times as though what it contained would change with each pass through. Sakura took her usual seat on Sasuke's desk and clapped her hands excitedly.

"Can you believe it! Gaara Sabaku is asking you out on a date!" She squealed. "He's the most eligible bachelor in the Land of Fire _and_ Sand!"

Sasuke scoffed and Sakura smiled up at him and patted his arm reassuringly.

"After you of course!" She winked "He's in the lobby waiting for you. The harpies are going to be so mad!"

"He's there now? I-I-I can't go!" Hinata said as she realized that she and Sasuke needed to go pick Itachi up from the airport.

"What do you mean you can't go? _Of course_ , you can go! You have to!" Sakura urged. "You can't just stand him up!"

"But-"

"When was the last time you had a date? Seven, eight months ago? You have to get back out there dating! What better way than with this guy?"

"Sakura-"

"It's just coffee, not a marriage contract."

"But-"

"But what?" Sakura said exasperatedly and narrowed her eyes as Hinata bit her lower lip.

"We need to pick Itachi up from the airport Sakura." Sasuke interjected tersely. Sakura just laughed and waved away the prior obligation.

"You can do that on your own! You can't hold Hinata hostage!"

"We have other priorities that don't involve going on childish dates in the middle of the day."

"Whatever, you don't understand how sweet it is!" Sakura gushed. "I wish a guy like Gaara would come and sweep me off my feet! From the pictures I've seen, he looks pretty handsome. You think he's handsome right Hina?"

"W-well yeah but-" Hinata replied.

"See that settles it!" The pink haired woman shouted in triumph. "Don't worry about Sasuke over here, he can handle getting Itachi on his own. You go have fun on your super sweet spontaneous coffee date!"

Hinata glanced up at the clock before she looked at Sasuke who, despite his efforts to appear ambivalent, was exuding a rather dark aura. He was in such a good mood earlier, now he seemed...angry. Was it something she said?

"Sasuke-" the nervous woman started.

"Go." Sasuke said flatly as he began shoving his laptop into his briefcase. "You wouldn't want to keep Sabaku waiting."

Hinata frowned and grabbed her purse off of her desk. She did not appreciate his dismissive attitude in the slightest. She had already kept Gaara waiting for too long anyway. With one last look at a smiling Sakura who was holding two thumbs up, she opened the office door.

"Don't do anything _I_ wouldn't do!"

…..

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 1:30 pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

… **.**

The coffee shop Gaara had taken her to was quaint in a quirky kind of way. The tables were all intimately set to accommodate only one or two people at a time and the restaurant itself wasn't too busy. There were only two or three people typing away on their laptops, not paying them any attention when they walked in which was a plus. She already felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack. She and Gaara had only exchanged a handful of words on their way here and now the fact that they had nothing to talk about was laid bare before them.

"I am happy that you agreed to meet with me on such short notice. I do apologize for the inconvenience."

Hinata looked up from the spot on the table that she had been staring intently at ever since they had arrived and was met with those intense green eyes again. Outside of a formal setting he was even more intimidating to be around.

"It's no problem!" Hinata squeaked, her voice a little shaky, and mentally cursed her own nervousness.

Gaara didn't appear to mind though. He nodded his head stiffly and silence fell between the two of them once more. Now that she was in such close proximity to him she could definitively say that he was handsome. His fiery red hair was certainly a sight to behold and a small part of her wondered if it was naturally that shade. The silence that hung between them was awkward and heavy. What does one say on a coffee date? Was this even a date? She bit her bottom lip and racked her brain for something to say.

"Um..."She began and will her voice to remain steady. "Thank you for the roses Mr. Sabaku. They are beautiful."

"Hm." He said with another stiff nod. "When I saw them I imagined that you would like them."

"So, um, not to sound rude or anything but...um..."

Hinata trailed off on her train of thought, allowing her unfocused to question to hang awkwardly in the air between them. She felt a familiar blush of embarrassment seep through her cheeks and looked back down at the spot on the table she had previously been staring at.

"You want to know why I have asked you to meet with me." Gaara said bluntly and Hinata nodded her head slowly, still unwilling to look him in the eye.

"It is only natural to get to know the head of the company I plan to work with in the future." He continued calmly. "Hiashi informed me that you would be available today."

"My father?" Hinata asked with a furrowed brow as she looked up at Gaara who nodded.

"Yes. I got his permission to meet with you."

Hinata stared at the man across from her as though he had grown a third head. Her father would surely have a few words to say about Gaara and she wasn't quite sure they would be positive statements. Although, her father had to respect the younger man in some fashion since he had allowed Gaara to meet with her. Her father was always conscious of the Hyuuga image and how they carried themselves since their private lives could easily be made public. It wouldn't do to be the one that put a stain on the pristine image that her father and the countless Hyuuga before him had cultivated. It was because of the pedestal that her father had placed her on that she did not have much experience with suitors like other daughters of powerful men. No one was ever good enough for her father...that is until Gaara.

"Hey, so, one Café Americano. No cream. No sugar." A cheery voice announced and placed a small white mug in front of Gaara. "Annnnd one Ginger tea with honey, wait- Hinata?!"

Hinata's head snapped up at the mention of her name and she stared wide-eyed at Tenten. The brunette looked equally surprised to see her but was grinning from ear to ear as she looked back and forth between her and Gaara.

"Hi, Tenten!" Hinata greeted, grateful to see a familiar face and for anything to lessen how tense she felt. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here now too!" Tenten laughed. "The dojo is closed for renovations so I'm working here in the meantime! Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Oh, this is Mr. Sabaku!" Hinata said and her cheeks flushed. Where were her manners? She should have introduced him right away. Gaara smoothly stood up and held out his hand. "Mr. Sabaku, this is my best friend Tenten."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you too!"

Hinata had to hold back her laughter when Tenten looked as though she were about to burst. When Gaara let go of her hand the brunette quickly took her leave of the pair but she shot Hinata a look that said that she had some serious explaining to do. She took a sip of the warm ginger tea she had ordered and found that the liquid helped to calm her nerves.

"You do not like coffee?" Gaara asked, although his question came out as more of a statement of fact.

"I don't mind it." Hinata replied softly, hoping she hadn't offended him with her drink choice. "I just prefer tea."

Gaara nodded and raised his own mug to his lips. Briefly, instead of Gaara sitting before her she saw Sasuke sitting in his place with her lavender mug held captive in his hand as he looked over the morning report. She blinked at the image, her mouth parted slightly. Why was she thinking of him at a time like this? Gaara cleared his throat and the sound of his voice broke the illusion.

"S-sorry Mr. Sabaku." Hinata squeaked, blushing with embarrassment at being caught staring and his lips twitched slightly.

"Gaara." He said. "Call me Gaara."

….

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 5:15 pm**

 **Johoku Highrise Complex**

… **..**

Sasuke drummed his fingers impatiently on his arm as he waited for Itachi to finish wrapping things up with the dark haired realtor. The relator was much too peppy in Sasuke's opinion and a bit too eager to assist them but she came with the best credentials in the city. Since it looked as though their stay in Konoha was going to be a lot longer than anticipated it only made sense that they look for dwellings that were more permanent than hotel rooms. Their parents were still handling up their estate Suna while he and Itachi were tasked with finding somewhere to live in Konoha.

His parents should be the ones undertaking this task but Sasuke secretly suspected that it was just a ploy to get him and Itachi away from the house so that they could do God knows what without the fear of being walked in on. Sasuke shuddered as he recalled an incident in the kitchen he had walked in on just prior to their arrival in Konoha. Needless to say, he'd gotten a first-hand look at how he and Itachi were created. His parents had no qualms about scarring him for the umpteenth time, no one got in the way when they actually found time to be with one another. His father was scary when he was deprived of his wife. Fugaku Uchiha was not the most affectionate person but when it came to Mikoto it was best to look the other way. Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair and tried to erase the image of his parents from his mind. He would ensure that Itachi got somewhere with enough space so that incidents like that wouldn't happen again.

"What do you think Sasuke?" Itachi asked, his voice echoing off of the pretentiously high ceiling.

Sasuke looked around at what was probably the seventh penthouse they had visited that day and found that he liked it just as much as the last one. Which of course meant he had no opinion whatsoever. Every place was the same with very little variation. Cavernous rooms, open floor plan, floor to ceiling windows- what he liked didn't matter that much anyway since he would hardly be home to enjoy it. To express an opinion whether positive or negative was nothing more than an exercise in futility.

His frown deepened as he realized just how depressing his thoughts were. Usually, he wouldn't be in this much of a sour mood, whenever he got to spend any modicum of time with his brother he was a much more agreeable person, yet he had a tense feeling in the pit of his stomach all afternoon...

"Sasuke," Itachi called again and the younger Uchiha rolled his eyes.

"It's fine Itachi." He answered blandly and Itachi humphed but returned to talking to the realtor.

"We'll take this unit and the one directly below it." He said and the woman squealed with joy. "Forward the contracts to the address on my card and I will look them over."

"Thank you, Mr. Uchiha!" She said when she finally regained her composure. "I will speak to the owners and see if they will come down on the price since you are interested in purchasing two units."

"There is no need." Itachi said as he looked at the woman curiously. "We will give them full asking in cash."

At that statement, the woman's jaw dropped and she was left standing speechless in the middle of the room. Sasuke smirked as he watched the woman try to comprehend what was just said. No doubt already envisioning what she would do with the sizeable commission she was going to make from this deal.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Itachi announced as he walked out of the penthouse. "Come, little brother. I'm starving."

….

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 6:00 pm**

 **Apostle's Pasta**

… **.**

 _Hinata didn't come back! EEEEEEEEEEEEEE See you tomorrow!-Sakura_

Sasuke glared at the new message on his phone and flipped it over on the table so he wouldn't have to look at it any longer. It didn't matter what that damn woman did with her time. If she wanted to piss it away with the _handsome_ Gaara Sabaku of all people she could be his guest. She could do whatever the hell she wanted. If she wanted to go out on a hundred coffee dates with the red head she could very well do that. He didn't care. If Gaara wanted to waste his money on temporary trinkets like flowers then he should. He wouldn't stop him. He didn't care. If she wanted to kiss him...no that thought only made his blood pressure spike.

"Want to tell me what's on your mind?" Itachi said, interjecting himself into Sasuke thoughts.

"Nothing." Sasuke replied as he aimlessly pushed some of his pasta around with his fork.

"Nothing usually means something when it comes to you." The elder countered and Sasuke scoffed. "How are things going with your lovely new partner?"

An image of Hinata biting her lower lip when she was lost in thought popped up and Sasuke stabbed at his food. She was probably biting her lip right now in front of Gaara and the man would likely find it cute. Everything that damn woman did was cute. It was irritating. Itachi chuckled at his brooding disposition.

"I was just wondering since we will have a lot of work to do together soon. I just wanted to get some insight into who she is." Itachi said, pausing briefly to take a sip of the red wine in front of him. "Although I do know one thing about her. She has a rather nice ass wouldn't you say?"

Sasuke pushed his plate away at the reference Itachi was making to when they had caught Hinata pilfering through his drawers. While he knew very well that Itachi's statement was true, he did not appreciate the observation from his brother. In fact, the idea of any man looking at her in that way didn't sit too well with him. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared across the table at the older man who only swirled his wine lazily in his glass.

"I'm only saying what I know since you won't tell me anything." Itachi teased.

"What are you trying to get at Itachi?" Sasuke growled.

"Nothing dear little brother but now you're talking to me so I guess I got what I wanted."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his brother's cheesy remark and sighed.

"She is….stubborn."

"Oh?" Itachi said skeptically.

Sasuke nodded his head as he watched the condensation of his water roll down the side of the glass and collect on the coaster underneath. Hinata certainly didn't appear to be an obstinate person to the casual observer. However, Sasuke had quickly learned that she was bull headed in her own right even when it was to her detriment. He felt the corners of his mouth twitch upward as he recalled her keeping a straight face through all of their Tuesday morning meetings. No one was the wiser to the fact that she was beyond hungover from the previous night's activities and even he would have thought she was fine if only she didn't to have to sit with her head between her knees when they got in the car. Sasuke smirked at the memory but quickly soured once more when he remembered _who_ that stubborn woman was with.

"She is also naive and much too generous." Sasuke added but frowned at his own words. While it was true that she was both of those things it didn't quite fit. She was capable of doing her job and although she didn't perform in the same manner that he did, she was still able to get things down at the end of the say. She was...competent. Sasuke nodded to himself with satisfaction at the term. It wasn't one that he was used to using when thinking of someone, let alone someone as gentle as the Hyuuga heir, but in a short time span, she had proven that she was capable of many unexpected things.

"She is...competent." Sasuke said finally and Itachi leaned back into the booth with a smile on his face.

"That's high praise coming from you. It's nice to know that she possesses more than just a nice bum." Itachi mused as he drank from his glass. "Even if she didn't, I'm glad to have something appealing to look at. Did Uncle Madara ever tell you why Uchiha are ass men?"

"You are a fucking pervert Itachi." Sasuke said as he glared daggers at his older brother who was unfazed by his own impropriety.

"I love you too little brother."

…..

 **Thursday, September 6, 2017, 6:00 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

… **.**

Hinata blankly stared up at the ceiling. She had seen this ceiling nearly every morning for as long as she could remember. She could count the almost imperceptible hairline cracks, of which there were five, and had dreamed on more than one occasion what it would be like to stare at another ceiling. To wake up next to someone else and lie in bed together, staring at a ceiling they called their own and just talk. For years she had imagined that that person would be Naruto but that was nothing but a dream. The reality of waking up next to someone as effervescent as Naruto meant that he was either never there when she awoke or he was too tired to do anything but snore. She never had to heart to say anything though, he had so many responsibilities and so did she. She tried to be content with the way things were but day by day her dream eroded away. One day she had woken up staring at a ceiling that she could no longer call theirs, an empty bed, and a heart that no longer held love. Respect and admiration but no love. She wasn't quite sure when the love that she had once felt so strongly had fizzled out of the equation but it had. As she stared up at her current ceiling she tried to imagine waking up next to Gaara but found the exercise frustrating. His red hair kept turning black.

"Hinata!" Hanabi shouted as she barged into her older sister's room, thoroughly ending the peace and quiet. "I'm so done with cram school! I'm running away and joining a circus if Neji makes me go again."

Hinata lazily turned her head in her sister's direction and sent her a small smile. The girl had untucked her white uniform shirt from her skirt and allowed it to flow open to show off an ironic t-shirt from some band Hinata didn't know. Her long brown hair was up in a ponytail but a few strands still stubbornly escaped. Hanabi threw herself onto Hinata's bed and buried her face in the pillows.

"If you don't go to cram school, how will you do well on your entrance exams to get into a good university?" Hinata teased and lightly tickled the back of Hanabi's neck. She giggled, popped her face up from the pillows, and rolled onto her back so she could no longer be tickled.

"What if I don't _want_ to go to a 'good' university."Hanabi huffed and although her tone was light Hinata could tell that this thought had been tumbling around in her sister's head for awhile. It didn't seem like Hanabi wanted to broach the topic further though so she allowed the statement to go unreplied. When Hanabi wanted to talk seriously about her life decisions she would. Silence fell between the sisters as they stared up at the ceiling above, lost within their own thoughts. As always though, Hanabi was the first to break the silence.

"So I heard you had a date today!" Hanabi grinned mischievously to the ceiling above them. "Gaara Sabaku no less!"

"How did you already hear about that already?" Hinata pouted and covered her eyes with her arm. She had only just left the man a few hours ago!

"One of my friends saw you out walking around town with him." Hanabi explained as she fished her phone out of her skirt pocket. "She took a picture and sent it to me."

Hinata held her hand out of the phone and Hanabi plopped it into her open palm. On the screen was indeed a picture of her and Gaara outside of the coffee shop they had visited. It was an innocuous photo of course but it was still embarrassing. Hinata handed Hanabi back her phone and rolled over onto her stomach.

"You just had a date with a hot guy why do you look so down? Did he dump you already?" Hanabi asked and Hinata shook her head.

"No," she began, her voice slightly muffled by her bedding. "He...he wants to go out again...tomorrow night."

"Then what's the problem? Is he gross?"

"No."

"Is he mean?"

"No."

"Then what?"

Hinata felt her voice catch in her throat as she tried to respond. There was literally nothing wrong with Gaara. He was polite, well spoken, and genuinely seemed to be interested in what she had to say but something was off. Maybe it was the way he kept checking his phone every few minutes or how he had to step away twice to take rather urgent sounding phone calls. It all had echoes of what she had gone through before with Naruto. Yet again she knew she was being selfish and unfair but she couldn't help it. She just wasn't comfortable being placed on the back burner.

"I'm just not comfortable." She said finally, peeking out from her pillows to look at Hanabi who was staring her down incredulously.

"Well then just take a friend." Hanabi suggested and Hinata narrowed her eyes.

"You can't take a friend on a date Hanabi."

"Yes, you can! It's called a 'double date'. If you do that you should feel more comfortable because you will have a friend there to back you up."

"What do you know about double dating? You're not even _allowed_ to date yet." Hinata said suspiciously and Hanabi jumped off of the bed. The younger Hyuuga glanced at her phone and edged backward toward the door as innocently as possible.

"Oh, would you look at the time! I've gotta go...um...study yea study!"

Hanabi scurried from the room quicker Hinata could further question her, slamming the door on her way out. Hinata sighed and contemplated what her sister had said. A double date didn't sound like a bad idea. She doubted that Gaara would be opposed to it and he may even feel more comfortable in a more casual setting. Since she wasn't looking for anything too serious at the moment anyway, a double might actually help. After sending Gaara a quick text of wondering if it would be okay to turn their dinner into a double date and getting an affirmative, she now had to figure out _who_ to ask to accompany her. Unfortunately, she had found out this afternoon that Tenten would be working at the coffee shop and Ino always worked in her family's flower shop on Fridays since that was one of their busiest days. That left only one person to ask for assistance...Sakura. The raven haired woman bit her bottom lip as she pressed her thumb to Sakura's contact information. Sakura was one of the prettiest people she knew but would she even be able to find a date on such short notice? There was only one way to find out. Hinata bit her lip and began typing out her plea for help.

… **.**

 **Friday, September 7, 2017, 5:29 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

… **.**

"Good morning!"

Sasuke blinked and looked down at his watch and up at the scene before him. Then back down to his watch. It was five thirty in the morning...who did he piss off to have to deal with this? _This_ just so happened to be a secretary who appeared to possess way more energy than normal. She had a bunch of papers stacked up neatly on his desk and a hot cup of coffee in her outstretched hands. He looked at the woman suspiciously as he placed his briefcase on his desk and took the coffee.

"All of your documents for the next few days have been organized in order of importance and department!" She said cheerily.

"Hn."

He flipped through the papers on his desk casually and found that they had been meticulously assembled. There were even multicolored sticky notes to indicate where his signature was needed and summaries of what each document contained. When did she find the time to do this? Satisfied that everything he'd need to go through for the day was there he sat down in his chair and opened the inbox of this email.

"All inquiries for meetings and negotiations have been have been responded to and marked down on the calendar!" Sakura grinned and he leaned back in his chair. Something told him that she was angling for something. Did she want a raise? They already paid her handsomely but he wouldn't be opposed to paying her more if it wasn't unreasonable. Did she want time off? In the three years that they had worked together, the woman had never taken time off for anything.

"Sakura-"

"All of the monthly interdepartmental reports arrived late yesterday afternoon and they have all been archived accordingly on your computer."

"Sakura-"

"You have a very light meeting schedule today too. Your last meeting for the day starts at twelve and shouldn't last more than an hour. That means that your afternoon and evening will be free!"

Sakura-"

"You are always so busy. Going here and there. Sometimes you need a break-"

"Sakura!" He said, raising his voice slightly. The overly excited woman was not going to stop rambling otherwise. "What do you want?"

She pushed a lock of errant pink hair behind her ear and looked sheepishly down at the floor. She mumbled something incomprehensible and Sasuke frowned and stood up from his chair.

"I can't hear you." He sighed. The woman before him took a deep breath before looking up at him with determined green eyes and her hands clenched at her sides. He would have thought she was ready to fight if an uncharacteristic pink blush wasn't quickly staining her cheeks.

"Will you go on a date with me?" She shouted and clapped her hands over her mouth once the words had escaped.

"What?" Sasuke asked incredulously, completely taken aback by her request.

"Tonight!" Sakura squeaked from behind her hands.

"I don't think-"

"Will you go on a date with me...please?" Sakura asked again, this time not as loudly as before.

Right then Sasuke noticed that the door to the office was still open and standing in the doorway was a rather shocked Hyuuga. Her white eyes darted quickly between himself and Sakura, quite perplexed by what she had walked in on. He felt an unknown tension in his chest relax as he saw her but then recalled Sakura's text that Hinata had not returned to the office after her... _date._ The unfamiliar feelings that had been brewing from yesterday returned in full force. He did not appreciate _anyone_ making him feel this way, least of all her. He turned his attention back to Sakura who was looking at him expectantly.

"Okay."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	9. Want

**CCNote: Due to the unexpected amount of reviews, I am updating early. Like really early. I can't leave ya'll hanging like that lol. Also, I love the predictions, feel free to continue to think ahead! But for many of you new to my writing, my story will NOT play out the way you may think it will. You may get a few things right here or there but for the most part, I think you will enjoy the ride!**

 _ **To the reviewers surprised/disappointed that Sasuke accepted Sakura's invitation:**_ **He's got a lot of growing to do in this story. In life, people do not act rationally. It wouldn't be much of a story if everyone was a nice respectful person. There will be many bumps along this journey for our main characters. Buckle up, I promise it will be fun.**

 _ **To the reviewer who finds this story boring:**_ **Sorry this fic isn't your cup of tea mate.**

 _ **To the reviewer who asked how long this story will be:**_ **I can't really say how many chapters this will span. As with DESERTED, I know exactly how I want it to end and all of the major events that will take place. I just don't know how long it will take me to get there. If medium-long fics aren't your thing this story might not be for you. BUT if you like that kind of thing I think you will enjoy this story!**

 **Want**

 **...**

 **Friday September 7 2017 8:00pm**

 **Ikebana**

 **...**

 _'Okay.'_

The summer air was mild and the symphony of cicadas and car engines provided the perfect cliched backdrop to what should be a perfect date. Gaara was standing next to her looking rather stately in a simple red dress shirt and black slacks. As people, namely women, walked by they did a double take. It wasn't every day that one got to see such a handsome multimillionaire casually standing on the street. Women shot her looks of envy and while she knew she should feel flattered that Gaara had seemed to have taken an interest in her, all she could focus on was her own impending sense of dread. She should have never listened to Hanabi. What grown woman took advice from a little kid _anyway_? She really only had herself to blame for this predicament.

She had expected Sakura to invite any number of men to this date. She could have all of Konoha knocking down her door just begging her for an hour of her time. Why oh why did she have to choose Sasuke? Hinata had asked her last minute but why would she ask her boss to accompany her on a date? Sure they were close but he was still her boss. Also, _he_ had accepted which only further served to make her blood boil. She felt her phone vibrate in her hand and she swiped the screen to open the message. As soon as the picture popped up she felt her mouth go dry. It was a picture of Sakura smiling up at the camera with her arm hooked through Sasuke's. Sasuke was staring down at his phone, unaware of his photo being taken and captioned with an ' _Almost there!_ ' text.

The picture itself was tame but it only made the churning in the pit of her stomach get worse. Sakura was wearing _that_ dress. The little strapless red cocktail dress that Ino had so lovingly dubbed a 'baby making' dress. Sakura had profusely denied any ulterior motives back then for wearing the dress but now Hinata wasn't so sure of her innocent claims. Next to her Gaara placed a hand on the small of her back causing her to jump slightly.

"I believe your friends have arrived." He said calmly and pointed over to where Sasuke and Sakura were approaching.

Sakura looked even more stunning in person and Hinata shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. While Sakura was turning heads in her red dress, she had settled on a simple off the shoulder black dress. When she had looked at herself in the mirror at home she had thought it passable for the dinner but now she felt woefully underdressed. Hinata's eyes slid over to Sasuke who had chosen to wear all black as well. The first three buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, exposing his smooth pale neck. She unconsciously licked her lips as she recalled how his skin tasted. She blushed at where her train of thought was going and took a step closer to Gaara. She really shouldn't be thinking these things about Sasuke, especially when she was supposed to be on a date with another man.

"Uchiha." Gaara greeted curtly and Sasuke gave a short nod to the red head but his dark eyes bored into the woman standing at his side.

"Sabaku." He said. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Oh did I forget to mention this was a double date?" Sakura giggled and slapped Sasuke's arm playfully. "It's a double date with Hinata and Gaara!"  
Hinata watched as the dark haired man put together the pieces of what he had been dragged into. As his jaw tightened she mentally kicked herself again. Why had Sakura forgotten to mention this rather pertinent piece of information? Gaara held his hand out to Sakura who shook it gracefully.

"It is a pleasure to meet you..."

"Sakura, Sakura Haruno!"

"Well Ms. Sakura Haruno, shall we go in?"

Gaara offered Sakura his arm and the two of them lead their small party into the restaurant.

"What the hell is going on Hyuuga?" Sasuke hissed under his breath as he stiffly offered Hinata his arm and she gingerly accepted.

"You tell me." Hinata whispered back, her jealousy from earlier beginning to seep into her tone. "You are the one who accepted."

The inside of the restaurant was dimly lit. The tables were covered in pristine white linens and adorned with candlelight centerpieces and delicate roses. Couples gazed at each other, their faces illuminated favorably by the candles as they spoke comfortably with one another. When they arrived at their table, Gaara pulled out a chair for Sakura and Sasuke pulled out a chair for Hinata before both men switched places and sat next to the one they came with. Sakura gave Hinata a quick thumbs up as she opened the extensive menu in front of her and Hinata sent her a small smile in return. She wished that she could share in her friend's enthusiasm but the potential outbreak of a death glare match between Sasuke and Gaara kept her from adopting such a carefree attitude.

She opened her own menu as well and tried to calm her erratic heartbeat and paranoid thoughts. All she had to do was just get through this dinner and then everything could go back to the way it was. She snuck at peek at the couple across the table and bit her bottom lip. They looked really good together. Sakura was the exact kind of woman that most men flocked towards. Her bright personality and intelligence were evident of course but Hinata also knew from experiences of being a wallflower that Sakura's body was something many men lusted after. She was tall and slender, her chest wasn't too big and her vibrant green eyes had ensnared the hearts of many men. Was she aiming to capture Sasuke's as well? For some unexplainable reason, the prospect made her sick.

Hinata watched as Sakura leaned placed a hand on Sasuke's forearm and leaned into him as she pointed to something on the menu. Hinata quickly looked back at her own menu. Why should she even care? They were _supposed_ to only be partners anyway. Her father would probably disown her if he even got a whiff of the things that she and Sasuke had done. While they were merging, Hiashi was not the biggest fan of the Uchiha family and she knew that the feelings were mutual on the other side. This was for the best.

"Do you know what you would like to order?" Gaara asked lightly touched her bare shoulder. There was a muffled thud under the table that rattled the glasses. Hinata looked pointedly at where Sasuke was sitting but he had placed a mask of innocence and boredom over his face.

"Yea...I think so." Hinata answered softly and closed her menu before relaying her request to the server who was standing poised to take their order.

The rest of the dinner went off without much of a hitch with Sakura doing most of the heavy lifting with the conversation. In a way, Hinata was glad that she had invited Sakura along since she made things much less awkward between herself and Gaara but at the same time she couldn't help but feel jealous. Jealous that she took such liberties as to freely touch Sasuke or to take food from his plate. Sasuke didn't seem to mind the latter since he wasn't eating anything anyway. Gaara had to excuse himself from the table several times, and each time he did she felt smaller and smaller. Constantly she had to remind herself to be understanding and patient but the strength of that mantra had waned by the time their entrée plates had been cleared away and their orders for dessert had been placed.

"And then you wouldn't believe the look on her face!" Sakura said, laughing at the punchline of a joke that none of them really understood.

Hinata smiled weakly at the attempt at humor but by this point, she was utterly drained. She just wanted to go back home and crawl into her bed. She finished off what was probably her third glass of wine in an attempt to distract herself from the strange mix of internal confliction that warred inside of her head.

"You shouldn't drink so much." Sasuke said flatly as the server came and refilled her wine glass. The server bowed a sheepish apology and left the bottle of wine on the table before scurrying away.

"It's been a long week. She can indulge." Sakura smiled and placed a hand on Sasuke's forearm.

Hinata knew that her friend was just trying to come to her defense but all she could focus on was that hand. The sound of a phone ringing interrupted the mounting tension and they all felt around in their pockets to see who was the owner of the call but of course, Gaara was yet again the receiver. He frowned at the number that had popped up on the screen and put his phone face down on the table. It vibrated loudly against the surface but he continued to ignore it until it finally fell silent. Just as the phone ceased, it started right back up again.

"Shouldn't you answer that." Sasuke said and Hinata glared.

"He can answer calls when he wants to." She replied tersely, aided in confidence by the alcohol she had consumed.

"Then he should have the decency to put his phone on silent. Most would consider it rude otherwise."

"You would know all about being rude wouldn't you?"

The Hyuuga and Uchiha both their crossed arms and glared at each other from across the table. Sakura tried to lighten the mood by cheerily indicating that their desserts had arrived but it fell flat. The servers placed an assortment of small cakes and fruits dipped in chocolate in delicate plates on the table and while Hinata usually adored sweets she couldn't bring herself to be happy about these. All of the food tasted like sawdust in her mouth and she knew that these would as well. The sound of Gaara's phone vibrating violently on the table only made her irritation grow. The red head looked at the screen and sighed. He placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder and leaned down to her ear.

"I will only be a moment." He said softly before standing up and addressing the rest of the table. "If you will excuse me."

"I hope everything is okay." Sakura mused as she speared a delicate strawberry with her fork. Sasuke scoffed at her comment.

"Why are you acting like this?" Hinata mumbled lowly but Sasuke caught every word.

"What? Am I interrupting this oh so romantic experience for you?" He said with a roll of his eyes. "I think Sabaku is doing a good job of doing that all on his own."

"You are acting like a-a-a-" Hinata stammered, her brain fuzzy as she tried to find the right word.

"A what?" He grumbled. Hinata's eyes widened and she pursed her lips into a tight line as she stood up.

"A spoiled, obnoxious child!" She hissed and marched off towards where the restrooms were.

When she got there she was thankful to find it empty save for the miserable restroom attendant who quickly scurried away when stormed in. They clearly were not up to attending an emotional woman tonight. She frowned as she looked at herself in the wide mirror, red faced and puffy eyed. This had been a terrible, horrible idea.

 **…..**

 **Friday, September 7th 9:00 pm**

 **Ikebana**

 **...**

Sasuke leaned back in his chair and glared at the path that Hinata had taken. What right did she have to be mad? He had every right to be angry in this situation. Why in the world would he want to see her on a date with another man? Why would he want to watch another man try to garner her opinion with compliments and baseless flattery? Why would he want to watch another man dangle the privilege of touching her in front of him? Was she purposely trying to make him angry? Well if so, she had succeeded with flying colors. How dare she expect him to sit here and 'play nice' as she smiled at someone that was not him. It was absolutely ludicrous to expect something like that out of him! He downed the rest of his wine and reached for the bottle that had been left on the table to refill his glass.

"I think I should go talk to her." Sakura said as she stood up but Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"No. I will." He said sternly and Sakura reluctantly sat back down. "Wait for Sabaku to return."

He needed to give that damn Hyuuga a piece of his mind anyway. He followed the way Hinata had taken to the restrooms and ignored the odd looks thrown his way. He slipped into the dimly lit side hall, which was thankfully empty, and yanked open the door to the women's restroom. Hinata was alone inside, the rushing water of the sink was the only sound that could be heard. Her head popped up when he entered and once again he was reminded of just how beautiful she was. Looking at those large pale eyes made his rage catch in his throat.

"What are you doing?" She asked nervously as he locked the door behind him. "Sasuke?"

The way that black dress accentuated her voluptuous curves, hinting at the sensuous nature of her body underneath. Her long hair was swept up into a sleek bun, highlighting the elegant slope of her neck and shoulder. Her pale skin was pristine and soft. A less rational side of him wanted to mark it. _To claim her_. He took a step closer.

"Why are you here?" Hinata asked, her voice quivering despite the anger that rolled off of her in waves. "Shouldn't you be with Sakura?"

"I do not like seeing you with another man." He growled. Hinata crossed her arms under her chest, causing the tops of her breast to rise. The sight of them made him salivate.

"That is something you will have to get used to." She countered. "It's not like seeing you with another woman is my idea of fun. You and Sakura are perfect for each other."

"I do not like Sakura." Sasuke said, his frown deepening at the inference. "Not in that way."

"Then why did you agree to go on a date with her?" Hinata sighed exasperatedly. Sasuke lets his arms fall as realization began to set in. He was angry. He was frustrated. He was _jealous_. Jealous that she was willing to spend time with another man and lavish her attention on him. He had never felt jealousy before and he sure as hell didn't understand how to deal with it.

"Sasuke." Hinata said, raising her voice slightly to get his attention.

"I do not like seeing him touch you."

"Why do you care? You get to have another woman all over you tonight. Why should it matter if someone else touches me?"

"Because I don't want him to."

"Well, what about what I want?"

"So you want Sabaku." Sasuke stated flatly, the flames of his anger being stoked once more as he imagined Gaara enjoying Hinata the way he had.

He crossed the room, effectively closing any distance between them. He backed her into the marble countertop and cut off her means of escape.

"Sasuke!" She gasped.

"You want him." He growled as he tilted her chin upward to look at him.

Her eyes were filled with anger, confusion, and something else. Maybe it was all of the alcohol talking but that expression was intoxicating. He leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Her lips felt soft and desperate against his own as she tried to keep up with him. Her small hands clutched the front of his shirt as he thoroughly devoured her mouth. Just as she was finally able to keep the pace he broke the kiss. She looked up at him this time with flushed cheeks, smudged lips, and eyes now swimming with that something else. _Lust_. That same pure unadulterated lust that he had witnessed the night that he'd met her. He slid his hand up her dress and she tried to stop him by grabbing his wrist but her grip was too weak.

"Wait!" She said but he ignored her and dipped his hand into the front of her underwear. He sucked in a breath as he discovered her center already slick. He cupped her fully with his hand, enjoying the wet heat that radiated off of her.

"Do you want him?" He asked in a low voice and smirked as her pussy quivered against his hand.

"Sasuke!" She mewled and tried to grind against his hand but his other hand kept a firm grip on her hip.

He captured her lips again and this time she was the aggressor. He felt a shiver go down his spine as her tongue glided against his own, exploring his mouth with unexpected enthusiasm. He pressed his growing member against her and she moaned into their kiss. He was not going to be able to hold himself back if she kept making sounds like that.

"What do you want Hinata?" Sasuke asked as he removed his hand from her panties and turned her around to face the mirror. "I _know_ what I want."

He then hiked her dress up around her waist and unceremoniously yanked her now soaked underwear down. Hinata stepped out of them, transfixed by their sinful reflection in the mirror. He placed her hands on the countertop and nipped at her ear.

"Bend over." Sasuke instructed. "Hold on."

He felt Hinata shiver just as he stepped away from her but she did exactly as she was told. He gently nudged her feet to spread her legs wider apart. He placed a hand on her ass and admired the way her inner thighs had become slick with her own juices.

"What do you want?"

He slid two fingers into her and grinned at her wanton expression in the mirror. She moaned as he purposefully fingered her at a painstakingly slow pace. The sound of her moans made her pants feel much too tight.

"What do you want?" He commanded and began plunging his finger in and out of her at a faster rate. Her eager hips met his fingers at every thrust. "Say it."

"Ah!"

"Say it."

She was close. He could feel her walls clench around his fingers and knew that she was about to find her release. Even though he wanted to give that her, he wouldn't. Not yet. He slowly removed his fingers and she whined slightly at the loss. Her legs shook slightly and her back was tense. Pulling her dress back down, he turned her back around and placed a short kiss against her pouting lips.

"Sasuke." She whispered breathlessly and tangled her fingers in his hair. She brought him down to her neck and he placed hungry kisses against her skin.

"What do you want?" He asked, pressing his nose against her neck and breathing in her scent.

Sasuke placed two hands on her hips and pushed her up to sit on the marble countertop. He nestled himself between her legs and pressed his hard member against her heat. She was so _fucking wet_. He groaned as he felt her grind against him.

"Hinata."

"You, I-I want you!"

 _Knock Knock Knock_

"Hey Hina, are you okay?" The muffled voice of Sakura called from behind the door. She jiggled the knob but gave up once she realized that the door was locked. Her words slurred together as she spoke leading him to wonder just how much she had been drinking.

 _'Fuck!'_ Sasuke thought. He had completely forgotten that he had left Sakura on her own at the table.

"I-I'm fine!" Hinata shouted back as she pushed him away and into one of the open stalls.

"Are you sure?" Sakura called back. "You've been in here for awhiiiiiiiile."

He heard Hinata laugh awkwardly and open the door a bit.

"I'm fine! I swear!"

"Did Sasuke come over here to talk to you? He said that he would." Sakura asked, he could hear the concern in her wobbly voice.

"Yea. Said he was going to step outside not too long ago." Hinata answered. Her tone was surprisingly steady as she lied. Sasuke would have believed her excuse if wasn't already hiding in a stall. Sakura let out a breath of relief.

"Ahhhhhh I'm glad." She said. "I know he can be hard to deal with sometimes but he's not all bad."

"Y-yea."

"Oh! I almost forgot! Gaara said he had to leave and that it was urgent. That call he had gotten was no joke! No joke! He said that he was sorry that he had to leave and would give you a call later."

"Oh."

"Yeaaaaaaa, he's already paid the bill too. Let's go find Sasuke and blow this joint!"

 **….**

 **Friday, September 7th 9:57 pm**

 **Ikebana**

 **...**

 _This was wrong_

Hinata smiled as Sasuke opened the taxi door for Sakura and paid the driver handsomely to return her home safely. She felt her phone vibrate in her dress pocket but she ignored it.

 _This was wrong_

She smiled as she waved goodbye to the thoroughly drunk woman in the backseat of the cab. Sasuke stood beside her and nodded stiffly as Sakura stuck her hand out of the window and waved back. She tensed as she felt hand slide lower and lower down her back.

 _This was wrong_

They climbed into their cab as soon as Sakura was no longer in their line of sight. The lights of the city swooped past as they speedily made their way to Sasuke's hotel. A feeling of déjà vu set in as she recalled the first night he met. Her heart began to beat faster in anticipation.

 _Yet_

Sasuke expertly pulled a pin out of her bun and her hair tumbled heavily down around shoulders. His fingers wove their way through her hair and she had to bite back a moan. It was shameful to admit but she liked the way he pulled her hair. As he began to suck on her neck she noticed the driver looking at them in the rearview mirror and blushed. She tapped Sasuke on the shoulder and nodded her head to alert him to their audience. He only smirked at the peeping man and pulled down the window divider to hide them from view.

 _This_

She gasped as he pushed her onto the bed and capture her lips with that hungry passion he was known for. She furiously untucked his black dress shirt from his pants, clumsily unbuttoning it once it was free. He snaked a hand around her back and unzipped her dress. Soon clothes were flying with careless abandon and gluttonous hands were touching every new inch of skin that became available.

 _Felt_

Hinata moaned loudly as he slammed unceremoniously into her. It was not how she was used to being treated. Naruto had always treated her like glass and it had infuriated her to no end. Of course, she had enjoyed their love making for what it was but it was never this hot. Never this greedy. Never _ever_ this rough. Sasuke Uchiha was a very different kind of lover.

 _So_

"Fuck Hinata." Sasuke groaned and she smiled as she sank down onto him.

This position was new. She had never been on top before but she found the position quite exhilarating. This way she could control exactly what happened and illicit sounds from Sasuke that she would have never expected him to utter. She engulfed him all the way, devouring every inch, and bucked her hips experimentally in a circle. He growled and roughly pulled her down to kiss her. His tongue clashed against hers in time with the way her hips moved.

 _Good_

 **…..**

 **Saturday, September 8, 2017, 12:10 pm**

 **Unknown Hotel**

 **...**

Light filtered into the room through the blinds, warming her bareback. She buried her face into the hard chest in front of her as rough fingers ran up and down her spine. Her back arched at the sensation.

"Wake up." A deep voice vibrated next to her. "Are all Hyuugas this lazy?"

"Shut up Uchiha." She mumbled and snuggled deeper into his warmth.

She groaned when he moved away from her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her onto her stomach. He leaned over her, careful not to bear too much of his weight on her, and poked her backside with something rather hard. Hinata shivered as he licked the shell of her ear.

"Even if you are sleeping. I will still enjoy myself." He whispered but he couldn't hold his serious tone as he snickered at the end. Hinata smiled and squirmed away from him. "Where are you going?"

He crawled over her and placed a short kiss on her lips. Hinata noted that for some reason Sasuke was in a rather affectionate mood.

"Morning." She said when he released her and rolled onto his back with a huff. "What time is it?"

"No idea." He responded.

Hinata leaned up and looked out the hotel room window. Judging by the position of the sun it had to at least be noon. It was terribly irresponsible of her to have slept in this long. She was absolutely positive that her phone was full of concerned phone calls and messages. She looked over at the man lying next to her and her heart skipped a beat. They were going to be in so, so, _so_ much trouble.

"I should probably go." Hinata said softly as she clutched the sheets to her chest but didn't move from the bed. A heavy arm came across her chest and barred her from moving even if she had.

"Sasuke!" She squeaked and he growled.

"Do you have somewhere important to be?"

"N-no." She replied trepidatiously as he hovered over her once more.

"Then stay."

"Sasuke-" she started but was interrupted by a knock on the main door of the suite.

As he climbed off of her and walked through the bedroom door she couldn't help but notice how good he looked naked. He returned only a moment later with a large silver tray full of food in one hand and two kettles of coffee and tea in the other. Hinata stared at him wide-eyed as he set the items down on the bedside table. In a cup, he scooped the exact amounts of sugar and honey. When in the world had he taken notice of the way she liked her tea?

"What?" Sasuke asked when he noticed that she was staring.

"Nothing." She said softly. "I just didn't know that you noticed I liked tea."

Sasuke looked at her incredulously as he handed her the steaming cup before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"It is difficult not to notice the things a person does when they sit only a few feet away from you."

"Even so, I never took you for the type." She said and blew into her cup to cool it down. Sasuke sat down on the edge of the bed at her feet.

"The type?"

"The type of guy to notice little things."

"There's alot you don't know about me Hyuuga." he said with a smirk.

Hinata took a small sip of tea before placing it on the bedside table and bringing her knees up to her chest. Sasuke was right, there was so much that she didn't know about him but she wanted to. Who was this man that sat before her and knew exactly which buttons to press? What made Sasuke Uchiha tick? She drudged up as much courage as she could and scooted over to sit shoulder to shoulder on the edge of the bed.

"Who are you?"

 **….**

 **Sunday, September 9, 2017, 9:50 am**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

Hinata hummed to herself as she absently flipped through the book she was 'reading'. None of the words on the page were sticking but she occasionally flipped through the pages to make it appear like she was occupied by more appropriate ventures. She couldn't help but let her mind wander to the day before and how she and Sasuke didn't leave the hotel room for a full twenty-four hours. The man was insatiable. Her body was sore and her voice was a little hoarse but she was thoroughly satisfied. While she had learned as much about him as he was willing to talk about, Sasuke was still very much a mystery to her. In front of her, a body dropped down into the seat.

"Hey! If you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean!" A voice from behind the coffee bar yelled.

"So! Tell me about the date!" Tenten asked eagerly, ignoring the grumblings of her boss.

"It was nothing to write home about. " Hinata answered as she dropped a hefty spoonful of honey into her tea. She knew that she should feel guilty but she just couldn't. She had only gone out on a date with Gaara because Sakura had pressured her to. If she had resisted more would she and Sasuke have inevitably ended up the way they did anyway?

"Oh yea, that's not what I heard from Sakura." Tenten grinned and leaned back into her chair. Hinata sat up straighter.

"What do you mean?" She asked and Tenten wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You walked into here glowing! I haven't seen you look that happy in well...ever!"

Hinata desperately wanted to tell Tenten that it had nothing to do with the man she had introduced her to the other day but she thought better of it. She didn't want to divulge the dirty little secret worming it's way into her heart. Her phone vibrated loudly on the table and she felt her good mood instantly drop. The screen flashed _FATHER_ in bold bright letters. Even Tenten was able to see it from across the table. The brunette quickly stood up and scurried over to assisted other tables. Hinata swiped to answer the phone knowing full well that it was only to her disadvantage to keep her father waiting much longer.

"Hinata." A deep voice on the other end said.

"Hello, father." She said, trying desperately to keep her voice from betraying the amount of nervousness she felt.

"I have been informed of the results of your meetings with Gaara Sabaku."

Hinata gulped and absently stirred her tea. She had been meaning to reply to Gaara's texts and apologize for the disastrous date but every time she tried, Sasuke had found a way to distract her. It wasn't like she had put up that much of a fight anyway. Nagging at her was the thought that she had to call things off, as minuscule as things _were_ , with Gaara as soon as he returned from Suna.

"This is an advantageous match for you. Better than we could have hoped for." He said and Hinata felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

"Do not disappoint me."

 ** _To be continued..._**


	10. Dancing Queen

**CCNote: Wow! I'm so happy that so many people are enjoying this story! Thank you so much for your support! I recommend listening to Dancing Queen from the Mamma Mia soundtrack from this story. I'll be using more songs from this playlist so they may pop up a bit later in the story.**

 _ **To the reviewer who always writes in Portuguese:**_ **Thank you so much for your continued support! I always look forward to seeing your reviews! You have been with me since I started back up writing again. If you were the only person to read this story, I would be happy.**

 _ **To the reviewers who think Hiashi is a cockblock:**_ **You are absolutely correct on that front lol.**

 _ **To the reviewer asking about the update schedule:**_ **I THOUGHT that I would be able to stick to just updating on a certain day but clearly, I'm TERRIBLE at doing that lol. I will now try to update at least once a week. If I am particularly inspired or am spurred/encouraged by readers I may up that to 2 times a week.**

 **Shout out to the best beta ever PrincessJelly! Enjoy!**

 **Dancing Queen**

 **Sunday September 9 2017 10:05am**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

 _"Do not disappoint me."_

Her father hung up the phone shortly after that, his words leaving a sour taste in her mouth. If she knew anything about her father it was the fact that he was always trying to get ahead in life. He would do whatever it took to ensure the continued success of the Hyuuga name. Even if it meant tying their business futures to his rivals the Uchihas. She wasn't quite sure of how far he wanted her to go with Sabaku but he certainly expected more than one failed date.

"You look like your tea is too bitter." A deep voice chuckled next to her. "Did you not pour in enough honey?"

Hinata looked up from the book she was never reading and smiled at her cousin and sister. She had been so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she had forgotten that she had invited him and Hanabi to check out the coffee shop Tenten was working at. Hanabi immediately laid her head on the table and groaned.

"Why is it so loud in here?" She whined and Neji's eye twitched.

"If _someone_ had come home last night they wouldn't feel so miserable now." He said flatly. Hanabi turned her head on the table to glare at Hinata.

"She didn't come home either. Why are you not bothering her too?"

"Because Hinata is an adult and you, my dear cousin, are not." He replied and turned his attention to Hinata. "I haven't been home since Friday but I heard you had a date with Gaara Sabaku from Uncle. How did it go?"

"Well..."Hinata said and bit her bottom lip. How does one explain that they didn't finish the date with their date? Neji sensed her reluctance and frowned.

"Did something happen Hinata?" He asked tersely. Hinata held up her hands and waved off his concern. Neji was scary when he went into his protective mode.

"No! Um, Gaara is very kind!" She tried to explain but her cousin remained suspicious.

"Alright! We have a caramel macchiato with extra whip cream." Tenten announced, placing a small mug with a tower of wobbly whip cream and caramel drizzle in front of Hanabi. The young girl immediately perked up at its appearance.

"And a green tea." Tenten said as she placed a cup in front of Neji. "It's been awhile, Neji."

"It has. How...how have you been?" Neji asked. Hinata and Hanabi shared a look between them as they pretended to be occupied with their own drinks.

"I've been good. The dojo is expanding so Gai and Lee have decided to renovate the facility. It may take awhile knowing them so I'm working here in the meantime." Tenten said with a small smile as she held her drink tray to her chest. "What about you?"

"Busy." He said and the word hung heavy over the group. Tenten bit her bottom lip nervously and shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other.

"Of course." She said and turned her attention to the Hyuuga sisters. "Well, please enjoy your drinks! It was nice seeing you Hanabi! Talk to you later Hinata!"

As she retreated from their table Neji stared at her. Hinata noticed the frown beginning to form on her cousin's face as he watched Tenten get reprimanded by her boss for spending too much time at their table. His jaw tightened as she repeatedly bowed and apologized, for a moment Hinata thought he was going to get up and interfere. When she disappeared into the back of the restaurant, he turned around and pushed his tea away.

"You. Are. An. Idiot." Hanabi scoffed and while Hinata wouldn't use that exact word to describe her cousin he certainly wasn't being very smart about the situation. Even though she and Tenten were close, the woman never told her what had happened between her and her cousin last year. Whatever it was had left them both distraught. The two of them had been out of sorts for months until they finally returned to being their normal selves.

"Neji-" Hinata started and placed her hand over his but he slipped away from her grasp.

"I do not wish to talk about it Hinata."

Hinata nodded slowly and returned to her tea only to find that it had grown cold. She pushed it away as well and looked up just as the bell to the front door rang with its opening. Strutting into the café was none other than Itachi Uchiha. Despite his bedraggled attire that was splattered with patches of paint he still managed to look regal. Hanabi jumped up from her seat and marched over as the barista at the counter handed him a to go tray of coffee and a brown paper bag. He looked at her for a second, confused as to where she had popped up from but smiled as she continued to talk. Hinata wasn't quite sure what they were saying but the man kept looking at their table. As they talked Hinata couldn't help but notice the difference in Itachi's demeanor from his brother's. Although Itachi was quite intimidating in his own right he had a certain warmth about him that made him more approachable. Or at least Hanabi found him approachable. The girl grabbed the older man's hand and practically dragged him back over to their table.

"We can't take her anywhere can we?" Neji sighed as they both stood up and Hinata giggled. When Hanabi and Itachi reached the table they gave a short bow to greet him. "Nice to see you again Uchiha."

"And you as well." Itachi said with a slight nod of his head. "Hanabi here was telling me that you were all free today. If you don't mind I may have to impose on that."

Neji shot a quick glare at Hanabi who was looking rather satisfied with herself. Hinata couldn't blame him. This was his first day off in a long time and it appeared that Hanabi had just pissed it down the drain. It couldn't be helped though. Itachi actually did look like he needed assistance. Hinata smiled up at the eldest Uchiha and held her book close to her chest.

"We would be happy to help."

 **…..**

 **Sunday, September 9 11:17 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Itachi you could have said something before you left me with this fucking mess!" Sasuke shouted as he heard the front door open and the shuffle of feet and bags.

He tossed his roller brush back into the paint tray and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the edge of his shirt. Why in the hell did Itachi not hire someone to do this? That excuse that painting it on their own would build character was full of bullshit. He was pretty sure that Itachi hadn't thought things through when he bought the paint and now it was much too last minute to commission anyone halfway decent for such an extensive job.

"Don't get your panties in a knot Sasuke I'm back!" Itachi said with a large grin on his face as he came around the corner with a tray of coffee. "And I brought reinforcements!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the vague statement. His confusion was quickly corrected when the youngest Hyuuga skipped into the room, followed by her older cousin and sister. He felt his mouth go dry as Hinata gave him timid looks from beneath those long dark lashes of hers. Not that it wasn't a welcome sight but what was she doing here?

"Itachi?" Sasuke asked as his brother set the coffee down on the floor and rolled up the legs of his sweatpants. "What are they doing here?"

" _We_ have names ya ba-" Hanabi snapped but was stopped by Hinata putting a hand over her mouth. Whatever insult she was going to say was muffled beneath her sister's palm.

"Itachi said you needed help painting your new place." Hinata answered softly when she released a pouting Hanabi. "We are here to help."

Sasuke looked at the three Hyuugas skeptically. None of them were really dressed to be painting anything, heck Neji was wearing a button-down shirt, but he would accept their help. It was better than having to paint on his own.

"There are more brushes in the bag in the kitchen." Sasuke said and retrieved his own from where he had tossed it.

"Alright, let's get to work!" Itachi cheered.

 **...**

 **Sunday September 9 12:00pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

'How did I get stuck with the runt?' Sasuke thought to himself as he glared at his brother on the other side of the room.

He scowled as Hinata laughter echoed off of the walls of the cavernous room. Itachi's own smile widened as he pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she blushed. His grip tightened around his brush as he felt the ugly feeling of jealousy begin to once more crop up into his chest. Itachi was literally pushing his patience.

"If you keep staring like that you'll set them on fire." Hanabi said dryly and nudged him to the side with her shoulder. "You're in my way."

Sasuke grunted at her statement but didn't reply. He should be the adult in the situation and not respond to the young woman's taunts. How was it possible that someone as gentle as Hinata was raised by the same stock that produced this brat? Shaking his head he dipped his brush back into the paint tray and returned to painting their share of the wall. He was even able to make a bit of progress until Hinata laughed again. It irritated him beyond measure that Itachi was able to make her laugh like that. He took a deep breath and tried to quell his ripening anger. When he turned back to the paint tray he was blocked by Hanabi leaning against the wet wall with her elbow and her other hand on her hip.

"You like my sister don't you?" She said in a low voice as she narrowed her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke grumbled. She was messing up the damn wall standing like that!

"Most guys do ya know." She said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"I am not most guys."

"If you have a dick you are exactly like most guys."

Sasuke glared at the vulgar, yet accurate, insinuation from Hanabi and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'll bite little Hyuuga. What do you want?"

"Nothing." She said simply. "I know that you two work closely together now with the merger and all. My sister is too innocent and trusting for her own good. I, on the other hand, am not. If you try anything I will chop your dick off and feed it to you."

'Too late for that.' Sasuke thought with a smirk. He leaned down so that he was eye-level with Hanabi and poked her in the middle of the forehead, leaving behind a large dark blue dot in the center.

"And what would you know about trying anything on anyone? Aren't you like twelve or something?"

"I've seventeen!" She hissed, unaware of the blue dot she was sporting. Sasuke looked her up and down before shaking his head.

"You're pretty flat for a seventeen-year-old."

"Pervert!" Hanabi shrieked as her face turned bright red and frantically covered her chest with her arms.

Sasuke chuckled at her reaction but his amusement didn't last for long. She took her paintbrush and swiped it down the front of his shirt. Sasuke felt his eye twitch at the juvenile action but returned it by smearing her left arm with paint. She gasped and made a swipe at his face with her brush. He lunged back at her but she skillfully dodged him and got another successful swipe in. Soon he was chasing the laughing runt around with his paint brush. Just as it looked like he was about to catch her she hid behind Hinata and used her as a human shield. Needless to say, Hinata was quite surprised when her entire right arm was covered in blue paint.

"Sa-Sasuke!" Hinata gasped and the entire room stopped painting.  
"She started it." He said but the excuse sounded ridiculous as soon as the words left his mouth. Hanabi poked her head out from behind Hinata and stuck out her tongue.

"He's a liar!"

"You little brat!"

Sasuke tried to reach around Hinata but Hanabi quickly slipped away. The action caused him to fall against Hinata, pushing her back up against the wet blue wall. Hinata was dazed for a moment but quickly pushed him away. She looked up at him with angry eyes as her grip tightened on her paint brush.

"Hina-" he started but was cut off by Hinata dragging her paint brush across his face.

"Hahahahaha!" Hanabi doubled over with laughter as she pointed at his shocked face.

"Why are you laughing Hanabi?" Hinata said sweetly and Hanabi gulped before scurrying to hide behind a reluctant Neji. "You're next."

Soon the walls were forgotten as an all out paint war commenced. Alliances changed. Backstabbings occurred. Hyuuga versus Uchiha. Brother against brother and sister against sister. It was all Neji could do to keep his hair free of paint which proved to be a futile endeavor in the end.

 **…..**

 **Sunday, September 9, 2017, 2:36 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Pizza's here!" Hanabi announced as she traipsed into the apartment with Itachi who was holding a plastic bag full of beer and soda.

Sasuke felt his stomach begin to growl as the smell of the pizzas engulfed the empty penthouse. Hanabi and Itachi set the pizza and beer in the middle of the floor just as Hinata was emerging from down the hall. Her long hair was damp still slightly damp but it was in a much better state now that she had washed all of the paint out of it. When the paint war had subsided they had all taken turns using the three showers inside of the apartment since it wouldn't due to remain covered in paint. Of course, that meant that while everyone else had been in the shower he and Hinata had wasted no time getting reacquainted in their absence. The floor of the living room was officially broken in...

 _"Ah-" Hinata moaned. "Sasuke, someone could hear us!"_

 _Sasuke smirked against her nipple and gave it a soft bite and sucked on her soft, supple skin. She squeaked and squirmed under his ministrations._

 _"Then we should be quiet." he replied as he moved to give her other breast the same attention. She was incredibly shy but that only made her more alluring..._

He smirked when Hinata caught his eye and her pale cheeks instantly turned red. He didn't mind making her embarrassed, especially when she was wearing his clothes that were much too big for her. She sat on the floor between Neji and Itachi and grabbed a slice of pizza, avoiding his eyes at all cost.

"I'm starving!" Hanabi groaned as she immediately began digging into the pizzas.

In her other hand, she began swiping her phone until she turned on some pop station she liked. Once she found it she began slightly swaying to the music as she ate. Sasuke popped open a can of beer and nudged Neji.

"Is she always like this?" Sasuke asked and Neji sighed.

"I fear so." He replied. The two men bumped their beer cans together as they continued to watch their youngest member.

"Oh my god!" Hanabi squealed as a small rift came on and immediately grabbed Hinata's hand. Hinata shook her head profusely.

"No Hanabi!" She said with a sly smile on her face.

"Please!" Hanabi begged as she tugged on her arm. "It's been so long! Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

 _You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life_  
 _See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen_

Sasuke looked over at Neji who had a rare smile on his face as well as he watched the sisters bicker. Hanabi eventually won out of course and Hinata stood up shyly in front of them.

 _"Friday night and the lights are low. Looking out for a place to go. Where they play the right music, getting in the swing. You've come to look for a king."_

As Hinata sang into her beer can, Sasuke's eye twitched. She was not that great of a singer. No one was going to make a record deal off of her voice but she was, dare he say it, good. Hanabi giddily clapped her hands before grabbing her soda bottle to use as a microphone.

 _"Anybody could be that guy. Night is young and the music's high. With a bit of rock music, everything is fine. You're in the mood for a dance. And when you get the chance..."_

Hinata seemed to gain more confidence once her sister chimed in. Hanabi was arguably the better singer but the two of them together sounded much better together than when they were apart. Though they still looked silly.

 _"You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine. You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life. See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen!"_

Itachi cheered the two sisters on and clapped his hands as they pranced around the room. Even Neji swayed in time to the music. Sasuke had to admit that even though Hanabi was a brat she brought out a side of Hinata that he doubted many people had gotten a chance to see before. A carefree side that only wanted to see her sister smile. If that meant making a fool of herself in front of others, she would do so with grace. She reminded him so much of Itachi in that way. He caught her eye as she spun around and her smile widened.

 _"You're a teaser, you turn 'em on. Leave them burning and then you're gone. Looking out for another, anyone will do. You're in the mood for a dance. And when you get the chance..._ "

 _"You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine..."_

As the song continued on for a little longer, Sasuke enjoyed their ridiculous dance as he drank in the smile on Hinata's face, hoping to commit the genuine expression to memory. When the song finally ended the sisters were breathless but happy. Instead of going back to her original seat between Itachi and Neji, she sat down next to him and gulped down her beer in her thirst. Sasuke felt his chest swell a bit as her shoulder brushed up against his. Itachi raised his eyebrows at the new situation but Sasuke pointedly ignored the look. He casually nudged her with his elbow and she hit him right back.

Once the pizza was polished off they looked around the streaky room and sighed.

"This looks terrible." Hanabi said bluntly and the group collectively nodded in agreement. Sasuke glared at Itachi who was scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"I'll see if some of my associates can pull some strings and get someone in to fix it."

"I think...that would be best. I am sorry that we were not much help." Neji conceded as he looked around at the destruction in the room. "Come Hanabi. You have school in the morning."

Hanabi thumbed her nose at him but went along willingly. Itachi laughed and walked the two Hyuugas towards the front door. Hinata moved to follow them as well but he caught her wrist. As she looked up at him with that confused expression he forgot why he had stopped her in the first place. Looking away from her, he let go of her wrist and shoved his hands into his pockets. He hadn't expected the Hyuugas to make an appearance today but their presence had certainly lifted the spirits of the place they were now to call home. Despite the fact that they had ruined more than they had helped, in a way he was grateful.

"Sasuke?" She asked. At a loss for words, he grabbed onto the first thought that popped into his mind.

"Thanks." He quickly mumbled under his breath.

Hinata's confusion deepened as she tried to decipher what he said but once she did her entire face brightened. She looked behind her at the empty living room before taking a step towards him with her hands clutched to her chest. She stood on her toes and stretched as far as she could to place a kiss on his jaw. She stepped away quickly as soon as her lips made contact, a pink blush and a shy smile on her face.

"You're welcome."

 **…...**

 **Friday September 14 2017 5:45pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata sighed as she stared at the computer screen in front of her. She had been sitting there working for so long that the text was starting to make her eyes cross. She put down her pen and rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wake herself up. The last three weeks had been so jam-packed with things to do that now that the dust had settled a bit, things were rather dull. She looked over at the empty desk across the room and sighed again. Sasuke had decided to leave not too long ago after he had sent Sakura home for the day. He had asked Hinata if she wanted to join him for dinner but she had to reject his request. If word had traveled quickly that she had been alone in a coffee shop with Gaara, she could only imagine the rumors that would swirl if she was seen with Sasuke only a week later. They had not gone public with the merger yet either so it wasn't like they could use that as an excuse.

Sasuke had looked a bit disappointed by her rejection and a small part of her was too. They had actually been getting along all week but they hadn't gotten to have any time alone with each other. She was usually either with Itachi to speak with shareholders or Sakura was in the room. Hinata couldn't wait for the reshuffling of offices to finish so that the woman would _finally_ have somewhere else to sit that wasn't on Sasuke's desk. Although, Hinata had a growing suspicion that she liked that particular perch. Sakura was her friend, a very good friend by all measures, but sometimes she just wanted to push her off that desk. Ever since their double date, Sakura was becoming increasingly bold with her interactions with Sasuke. If she kept this up she was going to reach harpie level territory and even Sasuke was starting to become uncomfortably wary of her brazen behavior. Hinata smirked as she ran a hand through her hair. It served him right for getting her hopes up like that.

Next to her, her phone began to vibrate. She picked it up and immediately felt her mouth go dry. She and Gaara had not spoken to each other since their date last week. It wasn't for a lack of trying though. Every time she called him it always went to voicemail and the same on her end when he called. It had turned into a rather elaborate and frustrating game of phone tag. In a way, she was grateful since she wasn't quite sure what to say to him. Her father words to not disappoint him reiterated themselves every time she saw that she had missed his call and it filled her heart with a sense of dread. Deciding that it was best to just answer, she accepted the call and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello." She said and she could almost hear the smile in his voice on the other end.

"Good evening Hinata." Gaara said. "You are rather difficult to get ahold of."

"Sorry, this week has been very hectic."

"No need to apologize. I do not have much time to talk but-" he started but was cut off by someone else requesting his attention.

Hinata twirled her pen between her fingers as she waited for him to return to the conversation. She ran her fingers over the increasingly familiar gold lettering on the pen and wondered how long it would take for Sasuke to demand his pen be returned.

"Hinata?" Gaara called, snatching her attention away from the pen. Hinata blushed even though she was alone.

"Y-yes?"

"I was calling to ask if you were free tomorrow afternoon?"

"Gaara...I-I I don't know..." Hinata said, her voice trailing off in the end.

 _'This is an advantageous match for you.'_

"I brought back some loose tea from Suna that I think you would enjoy."

 _'Better than we could have hoped for.'_

"Gaara, I-"

"I will not take no for an answer."

 _'Do not disappoint me'_

 **…..**

 **Friday, September 9, 2017, 6:27 pm**

 **Ichiraku Ramen**

 **...**

"Sasuke over here!"

Sasuke felt his eye twitch as Naruto waved him over to the nearly empty bartop. He wasn't quite sure why the blonde felt the need to signal his location. He was the brightest thing in the room and came equipped with bodyguards. One would have to be blind not to spot him. Sasuke slid into the stool on Naruto's left and raised an eyebrow to the number of empty ramen bowls on his right side. Naruto noticed the look and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"I got a bit carried away." He said and Sasuke snorted. "Don't judge me bastard!"

"I'm just wondering where you put it all." Sasuke replied and Naruto stuck out his tongue.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the blonde's childish antics but ordered a bowl of miso ramen for himself.

"How are you settling back into life in Konoha? I know how much you hated it here before." Naruto asked as he shoveled an obscene amount of ramen into his mouth.

Sasuke rested his chin on his hand and thought about the statement. He had really disliked living in Konoha previously. He had always felt like he was walking in his brother's shadow. Everyone had expected him to be just as charming, just as naturally talented, and when he wasn't he could see the disappointment in their eyes. They wanted an Itachi 2.0, the Uchiha heir and prodigy but all they had received was Sasuke, the Uchiha spare. He had resented his brother for a long time growing up but once they had moved away, they only had each other. Itachi made it a point to always be around when their father wasn't. He attended every soccer match, countless cello recital, and never missed an award ceremony. Eventually, that resentment wore away to respect which might have been a mistake. Since he no longer had his guard up, Itachi took great joy in being an embarrassing older brother.

Now, all these years later, returning to Konoha wasn't so bad. Enough time had passed that many people in Konoha now treated him like his own person instead of Itachi's bratty little brother. That coupled with the fact that a certain Hyuuga sat across from him every day made Konoha much more bearable place than before. He enjoyed Naruto's company but he would have much rather be spending time with Hinata. Maybe the three of them could spend time together at some point. He had no doubt that Hinata would get a kick out of Naruto's idiocy.

"It's not so bad." Sasuke said finally and Naruto smiled.

"I knew you'd come around eventually!"

"One large miso ramen!" A jolly man from behind the counter announced and placed the steaming bowl of noodles in front of him.

"Thanks." Sasuke said as he accepted the bowl and reached for his chopsticks. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Naruto gaping at him. "What?"

"Who the hell is teaching you manners bastard?" Naruto demanded and Sasuke rolled his eyes, not dignifying the blonde's antics with a response. That only seemed to send him further into a tizzy.

"Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke?!"

"Shut up idiot. You're being too loud. " Sasuke glared and Naruto dramatically gave a sigh of relief.

"There we go. That's the Sasuke I know."

Sasuke ignored the theatrics and reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He pulled out a dark gray envelope and slid it across the bar to Naruto. The blonde looked at him curiously before opening the envelope. Sasuke busied himself with his ramen while Naruto read over the contents.

"The Uchiha are merging with the Hyuuga?" Naruto said finally as he set the envelope back down on the bar top. His usually bright mood slightly dampened.

"Father and Hiashi think it's the best course of action for the future of the companies." Sasuke explained and Naruto nodded his head silently. "We are going to make a formal announcement in three weeks so hold on to that invitation."

"Why are you giving it to me so early then? You know I lose things!" Naruto huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Just don't lose it."

"Fine, fine. I will put on my best suit and be your date. You could have asked more nicely though."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and smacked Naruto on the back of the head.

"Tch. I don't need a date dumbass."

 ** _To be continued..._**


	11. Sweetness

**CCNote: Thank you so much for your continued support of this story!**

 _ **To the reviewer who finds Sasuke's behavior abusive to Hinata:**_ **Has he hit her? Has he belittled her emotionally or verbally? Has he deprived her of doing anything that she wanted/was already going to do or has he actually stopped her from seeing anyone? Have they engaged in sexual activity that was not mutually consensual? You can find him to be a jerk and yea he is kinda jerky, brazen, and stubborn but he's not abusive. I am not here to condone abusive relationships and I deeply apologize if it is coming off that way to you or any other reader here. I hope you continue to enjoy this fic though and if you feel as though I have crossed a line, please tell me.**

 _ **To the MANY reviewers excited to see Naruto:**_ **That's happening next chapter. I hope you can wait that long lol!**

 _ **To the reviewers who wrote extra long messages:**_ **I'm sooooooo happy that you enjoyed the last chapter enough to write such long heart warming reviews. I was so happy to receive them and I have reread them multiple times. Thanks to much to each and every one of you!**

 **Shoutout to my beta PrincessJelly for all of their hard work with dealing with me. This chapter is a bit of a fluff to help transition us further into the plot. Enjoy!**

 **Sweetness**

 **Saturday, September 15, 2017, 9:30 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Hinata gulped as she raised her hand to knock on the front door of the newly acquired Uchiha residence. She had totally been forgetting to bring the clothing that they had borrowed from last Sunday into the office to return to them. She had placed the bag right by her bedroom door but every morning she rushed out without it and every evening she kicked herself for her neglectfulness. She felt absolutely horrible for holding their clothing hostage for so long but neither brother had bothered to even bring it up. This morning she was determined to return it and formally apologize for her family, namely a certain infectious teenager, destroying their living room.

She took a deep breath and attempted to knock but stopped herself once more. Was it weird to show up unannounced like this on a Saturday morning? What if they had company over? The thought of Sasuke entertaining anyone to the point that they had to stay the night made her blood run cold. What if he was? They weren't _actually_ an official couple. They hadn't discussed what they were exactly. It was more unspoken that they both acknowledged the underlying scandalousness of their actions but neither one of them were willing to change the status quo. What if he did? What if he had grown tired of her and sought someone else out. Someone that he didn't have to steal kisses from in elevators or empty hallways? Hinata lowered her fist. This was a bad idea. Maybe she should just leave the bag on the doorstep and they'd see it when they stepped out later...

"Hinata? What are you doing here?" a deep voice called from behind her. The dark haired woman quickly spun around and found herself face to face with a sweaty, shirtless Itachi Uchiha. Around his neck were a pair of wireless headphones and his running shorts hung low on his waist.

"U-u-um I-I-I-" she stammered as her entire face became inflamed. She tried to look everywhere but at him but she had already gotten more than a glimpse of his half naked body. Did all Uchiha men have to look so perfectly sculpted? She jumped when Itachi pushed aside her bangs and pressed a large hand to her forehead.

"Are you sick?" he asked and she nervously shook her head. He looked down at the bag she was clutching for dear life and smiled. "You didn't have to return that."

"N-no! I'm sorry that we intruded on your home!" she said, finally regaining her composure as they were entering more neutral territory. Itachi waved off her apology and swiped his card to open the penthouse door.

"There is no need to apologize. Please, come in." he said and walked past her into the house.

Hinata was hesitant to enter at first but soon followed him in. She removed her shoes at the entrance and padded down the front hallway into the wrecked living room. She felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach as she took in the hand prints and streaks that coated the walls of the living room. It looked a lot worse now than it had before.

"Please let us pay whoever you are going to use to fix this!" she said as she bowed low at the waist, her dark hair falling down around her like a curtain of shame.

"No." Itachi replied flatly and she looked up at him perplexed. She had to do something. It wasn't right to leave their home like this!

"I-" she started but was interrupted by a loud bodily grumbling that was only rivaled by Hanabi when she was particularly hungry. She smiled as Itachi coughed awkwardly and tried to pretend that he didn't hear his stomach growl. Suddenly she got an idea that would settle both her uneasy conscious and his needy stomach.

"At least let me cook for you!" she said and he raised an eyebrow at the proposition but didn't appear put off by it.

"What do you know how to make?" he said tentatively and Hinata set the bag she was holding down and rolled up her sleeves.

"Everything!"

 **...**

 **Saturday September 15 2017 10:25am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Sasuke groaned as the morning light poured into his new bedroom. He had yet to install blinds or curtains so the light washed everything with its warmth and was uncomfortable to wake up to. He rolled over onto his stomach and sighed. Maybe he might be able to get back to sleep. Naruto had insisted on bar hopping throughout Konoha. After informing him of the merge a switch had flipped inside of Naruto and his friend went into hyperactive overdrive. He just had to show him all of the best places to get a drink and meet women. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't realize that he already knew the best place. It was a little kiddie park nestled in the center of the city and only a few blocks away from the office. There was only one woman he cared to meet there and she happened to be its bartender and sole patron.

His eyelids began to droop once more as he thought of it but a loud crash in the distance jolted him upright. Ignoring the fact that he didn't have a shirt on, he leaped from his bed and ran down the hall. He heard a muffled voice and a door slam but there was still noise coming from the kitchen. He and Itachi were supposed to be the only ones in the apartment so how was it possible that there was noise coming from two places at once? Quickly he rounded the corner and came face to face with Hinata rolling dough on a messily floured counter top. The sink was full of dirty dishes and there was flour on nearly every surface. Hinata's hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and her face was slightly smudged with flour. The sight of her struggling to knead the dough was rather amusing. He leaned against the stainless steel fridge and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and she shrieked, wielding their rolling pin as a weapon in her powdery hands. When she realized that it was only him, she pressed a hand to her heart and took several deep breaths.

"Y-y-you scared me!"

"What are you doing here?" He asked again and this time she just shot her best glare which was rather weak.

"I wanted to return the clothes from last week." She explained with a huff as she returned to her task. Sasuke's brow furrowed as he tried to recall what she meant and the image of her in his shirt popped into the forefront of his mind. He would have rather she kept it.

"Why are you covered in flour in my kitchen?" Sasuke asked as he took the last few steps into the kitchen to lean across the granite island and inspect her work. He sniffed the dough. It smelled like cinnamon.

"Because of that." She replied sheepishly and pointed towards the living room which was still looked like a blue war zone. "I feel bad that we left it that way."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at the destruction behind them and shrugged. He was barely here anyway so he didn't really mind all that much. Itachi had apparently been able to get ahold of someone to come fix the mess but they wouldn't be in until Monday.

"So Itachi has conned you into making breakfast." Sasuke deduced.

Hinata denied the claim but he knew the truth. His brother was a terrible cook but that never stopped him from trying. Hinata must have taken pity on his efforts and decided to help which explained the flour being everywhere and the sink half full of dishes. Shaking his head, Sasuke washed his hands and took the dough from Hinata. He tossed more flour over the sticky dough and began kneading it against the countertop. Watching her struggle had been amusing but his stomach was starting to protest it's current state of emptiness. It would only take longer if he waited for her to finish. She slid over to the other side of the island and watched him with eyes full of curiosity.

"You know how to cook?" She said asked as his fingers worked through the dough. "Who taught you?"

"My girlfriend." He said in a way that was meant to come off as sarcastic but Hinata didn't take it that way. Her entire face lost its color and her mood seemed to darken. As her brows knitted together he couldn't help but wonder just what this woman was thinking. She looked as though he had just kicked her puppy and it made his heart twist uncomfortably.

"G-g-girlfriend?" She stammered. Sasuke rolled his eyes and rapped her lightly on the forehead with his knuckles.

"I was being sarcastic. My mother taught Itachi and I. He just wasn't very good at it. He's too much of a perfectionist."

Hinata's shoulders slumped slightly as she took in what he was saying. She looked away sheepishly as though she had more to say but was afraid to put a voice to her thoughts. When the dough was firm enough he took the rolling pin and began rolling it out flat against the countertop.

"U-um..."she started to say shyly and he raised his eyebrows to show that he was listening as he continued his task. "How...how many girlfriends have you had?"

"None." He said flatly and she gave him a skeptical look.

"Not one?"

"I have never felt the need to tie myself to others. Most women annoy me." He replied.

"Do I annoy you?" She asked, her voice small and unsure. He looked up from the dough and studied her face.

Out of all of the women he had engaged with, she was the least annoying by far. In fact, if he were being honest, he enjoyed her company the most. He hated talking about himself but she made him feel comfortable enough to express things about himself that only his family knew and some things they didn't. It was strange that this Hyuuga woman held that sort of power. He wasn't quite sure how to express in words the way he felt because he wasn't quite sure himself. He was standing at the beginning of something and he wasn't sure how to proceed forward. She blushed under his silent gaze and cast her eyes down but a small smile played at her lips.

They worked together in a comfortable silence that they had quickly grown accustomed to from their weeks at the office. When the dough was flat enough, she grabbed a bowl from the opposite counter and began to spread a thick, gooey brown mixture all over the flattened dough. When it was completely covered she rolled it up tightly into a log and cut it to form circular segments. Sasuke took out a sheet pan from beneath the island and greased it before placing the segments onto the sheet. Once they were all on the pan, Hinata popped it into the oven and set the timer.

"You do realize that he tricked you right?" Sasuke said as he washed his hands in the sink.

"W-what?" She asked as she turned on the stove to heat a small sauce pan to melt a powdered sugar and butter concoction. She squeaked and tensed when he came up behind her and placed his hands on her hips but soon relaxed into his touch. He glared over her shoulder at the poison on the stove.

"Itachi is partial to sweets, especially cinnamon rolls." He answered and Hinata smiled.

"That's good. I am too."

She stirred the sugary mess with a wooden spoon and once it melted she blew on it and held it up to him. Sasuke scrunched up his nose and pushed the offering away.

"I don't like sweets." He said and Hinata pouted slightly.

She ran her forefinger over the back of the spoon. He felt his heart speed up as she raised the digit up to her mouth and it disappeared between her plump lips. It was such an innocent move but he was curious to see what other nonsugary things she would be willing to put there. His blood pumped furiously at the prospect.

"It's good!" She said happily once she had sucked her finger clean.

Sasuke reached past her to coat two of his fingers with the white sugary substance as well. The warm icing dripped down his fingers as he pressed them against her bottom lip. She hesitated at first but soon opened her mouth to accept the digits. Her tongue swirled around his fingers clumsily, the fact that she seemed to be inexperienced in this area turned him on even more. His free hand slid up her shirt and fondled her breast under her bra as he pressed his erection against her backside. He relished in the way she hummed around his fingers when he rolled her nipple between his index finger and thumb. If she wasn't careful he would take her right here in the kitchen and the cinnamon rolls would surely burn. Now that he thought about it, that wouldn't be such a terrible loss. He removed his fingers from her mouth and tilted her head upwards so that he could lean down to kiss her.

"Hinata I'm back!" Itachi called from the front door.

Sasuke and Hinata immediately broke apart and the youngest Uchiha had to thank whatever god above that the kitchen wasn't visible from the front door. He looked down at his clearly evident erection and decided it would be best not to greet his brother like this in the morning. As he made his way down the hall he heard Itachi going on and on about how the first two shops he had been to were fresh out of eggs.

 **…..**

 **Saturday September 15 2017 1:30pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

Hinata sighed as she entered the café, the bell ringing above her. She hated leaving the Uchiha brothers to deal with the dishes but breakfast had taken much longer than anticipated and going over the paperwork that Itachi had brought home had taken even longer. Even though she was tempted to stay longer she would have been late meeting Gaara. She glanced around the room and immediately spotted Gaara's unique crop of red hair. A steaming cup of coffee was sitting untouched in front of him as he scrolled through something on his tablet. Hinata straightened her back, gathered her confidence, and made her way over to where he was sitting. He looked up when she sat down in the empty chair across from him and placed his tablet on the table.

"I didn't see you come in." He said and Hinata shook her head.

"It's alright."

Gaara nodded and began digging into the bag at his feet. He pulled out a long flat box and placed it on the table in front of her. She bit the inside of her cheek and tried to keep a straight face. She hadn't actually agreed to meet him to accept his gift. She came because she felt guilty. Guilty for leading him on. Guilty for finding pleasure with another man when he had set up a date that was meant for just the two of them. Guilty because she didn't regret it and knew that it would happen again.

Gaara noticed her hesitance and opened the lid of the box. Compartmentalized inside were brightly colored little tins with their contents carefully labeled and organized according to strain and strength. The part of her that had studied tea ceremony for years at the behest of her elders certainly appreciated the spread before her. She picked up a bright blue tin labeled 'Black Tea' and ran her finger over the cold metal lid. She had been wanting to try this signature strain from Suna for awhile but it just didn't feel right. Her stomach tied itself in knots as she felt Gaara's calculating gaze on her face. She placed the tin back into its compartment and closed the box. She gently pushed it to the center of the table and placed her hands in her lap.

"You are displeased." He said flatly, not touching the gift she had returned

"I...I'm sorry but I can't accept this." Hinata said softly as she stared at her intertwined fingers.

"Is there something wrong with it?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No, it's beautiful. "

"Do you not like this kind of tea?"

"No, I actually do like it."

"I am unfamiliar with the ways of courting someone Hinata. You will have to be more clear with what dissatisfies you."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and looked up at the man sitting across the table from her. He looked genuine in his statement that he was actively seeking to court her. Any girl would be lucky to have him knocking on their door.

"I did not mean to offend you." She said softly. "I do not believe that I will be able to reciprocate your...um...feelings."

Gaara tilted his head to the side slightly and looked at her curiously, a small smirk played on his lips.

"I never asked you to."

"W-what?"

"I am not seeking to court you because I think you already like me. Especially not after one date." He explained and pushed the box back closer to her end of the table. "I find you interesting and would hope that through my pursual, you will find the same about me."

"Gaara-" she started but he was already standing with his phone ringing in one hand and his bag in the other.

"I believe that I have already informed you that I am unable to take 'no' for an answer." He said calmly with a soft smile and gave her a short bow. "Enjoy the tea."

 **…...**

 **Sunday September 16 2017 3:45pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke let out a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his dark hair which had become rather unruly from the repeated practice. All of the requisitions that had needed to be looked over and approved were stacked to his right and updates on negotiations were to his left. He had flipped through everything twice, some even three times, and was done with them all. He knew each upcoming deal like the back of his hand and could read out the stock outcomes from the previous week from off the top of his head. He had even reviewed longstanding agreements between the Uchiha and other corporations just for kicks.

He had completed every task he could possibly do and now he was done. What should fill him with a sense of accomplishment only left him feeling empty. For the first time since arriving in Konoha, Sasuke was bored. Sure Monday would bring its own laundry list of things to do but right now he had nothing. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind but it didn't work. Percentages, quarterly earnings, and stocks all danced across his eyelids and in his ears buzzed the complaints of employees. He opened his eyes and glared at the ceiling. He couldn't even be bored in peace.

With a defeated huff he got up from his desk and made a beeline for the door. Maybe a walk would help to clear his mind. Perhaps by the end of stretching his legs, he would find one more thing that he could do, maybe a superfluous report he could write up or an email he had neglected to respond to. Once he reached the outside world he immediately regretted the decision. Being that it was a Sunday the sidewalks were crowded with families and couples, all of whom had no problem being as loud as they could possibly be. There was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was rather mild for a September afternoon so it was no small wonder that the streets were packed. With his hands shoved in his pockets, he watched the people mill around him as he walked through the city. A few people recognized him but, for the most part, he was able to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the nameless masses.

After a few blocks, he noticed an empty flower shop with its doors flung open and it's flowers pouring out onto the sidewalk. In fact, there was no front wall to the shop at all. The panels that made up the store front had been pushed to each side to allow the maximum amount of sun into the shop. He watched as a little girl, no older than six, bounded up to the large vat of sunflowers and tried to reach up to touch the vibrant yellow petals. The metal vat that held them was much too heavy and the flowers too tall for her to ever reach them but her mother scooped her right up before she could knock the display over.

Sasuke was never a fan of temporary things like flowers but women seemed to like them. At least it appeared as though Hinata did. She had taken very good care of the bouquet that Gaara had sent her, only throwing it out when the blooms were well past their prime. Being that she enjoyed gardening she had been able to make the roses last a lot longer than they should have. Sakura had lamented that the office was now a bit darker without their presence but Sasuke could only think that it was good riddance. Those roses had overstayed their welcome the minute they had crossed the threshold. He took a step closer to the sunflowers and examined the way they tilted towards their namesake. He had never bought flowers for anyone before. What was so special about these ephemeral things anyway? Did Hinata like sunflowers?

"Well hello, Prince Charming..." A bright feminine voice said absently and when he looked up the owner's blue eyes widened and they quickly covered their mouth. "Shit, did I say that out loud?"

Sasuke ignored her slip up and continued scrutinizing the sunflowers. Beside him, he heard the shuffle of footsteps and glanced down to see the blue-eyed woman from before standing much too closely and looking up at him intently. He leaned away from her but it only made her take a step closer. Her eyes held a mischievous gleam to them so similar to Naruto's that it was scary. It didn't help that she was a blonde either.

"You're thinking about a woman aren't you?" She said and when he didn't answer her smile only grew wider. "I knew it. I can always tell these things."

Sasuke looked away from her and picked up one of the long-stemmed flowers, noting with surprise that the stem felt thicker than he had expected and a little fuzzy.

"I can tell that you are new to this so I will help you out." The blonde woman said as she took the sunflower away from him and placed it back into the vat with the others. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the center of the shop.

"My name is Ino by the way and this is my family's flower shop! You are lucky that I am here today because I know everything there is to know about flowers and love! The two go hand in hand ya know!"

Sasuke was tempted to bolt but something about the woman's confidence made him stay to see what she had to say. She sure seemed to look like she knew what she was talking about. Ino led him over to the left side of the shop where there were columns of frosted glass fridges filled with partially bloomed roses in all sizes and colors. It was a bit overwhelming to take in since he had only thought that roses existed in one variety, red. Ino patted his arm as though she could read his thoughts.

"Don't worry. I got you." She said as she opened one of the fridges to the red roses. "Red roses mean a passionate, undying love. These by far are the most romantic and are a classic! Sure to win any girl's heart!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the red blooms, they looked a little too similar to the ones that Gaara had gotten. Ino noticed his evident distaste for the red and promptly shut the fridge door. She moved over to the second one which was filled with white roses. He shook his head. He had only ever seen those at weddings and they looked a bit too...cheesy. Ino pouted at the second rejection but was undeterred. She opened the third fridge which was full of bright pink roses.

"Pink roses are all about happiness. They say that you enjoy the other person's company. The girl in your mind will be sure to find you romantic from these!" She said with a grin which quickly diminished when Sasuke shook his head. The pink roses reminded him too much of Sakura.

Ino went through three more colors before they had viewed all of the varieties that the shop had to offer. Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets. Why was he here again? Ino tapped a finger to her chin, lips pursed in a tight line, and thought for a moment before a light went off in her head.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as a sweet..." she muttered under her breath and Sasuke felt his eye twitch at the sappiness. "What is the name of the woman you are looking to buy these for?"

Sasuke paused. Was he really trying to buy roses for Hinata? They weren't even dating, although they did everything that he imagined couples did. Would she think it weird if he bought her roses? It felt awkward to him. He wasn't trying to claim his undying love to her. He knew that he certainly wasn't in love with her but he enjoyed her company and found her to be rather intriguing. There was no one else who had managed to capture his attention the way that she had. When she spoke he felt himself stopping everything just to listen to the soft-spoken words that dripped from her lips. Ino coughed and brought his attention back to the present. She raised her eyebrows expectantly and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hinata." He said simply and Ino's face lit up.

"I have a friend named Hinata!" She said excitedly. "She loves lavender Dalilas! I'm sure your Hinata would like them too! Oh, but we don't have any in stock right now..."

Ino's shoulders slumped as she realized that she had hit the end of the road when it came to suggestions for him. He was clearly a rather difficult customer to assist. He gave her a stiff nod and turned to walk out of the store. As he crossed the threshold he noticed the sunflowers still tilted towards the sun, their petals outstretched wide to capture as much of its rays as possible.

'Hinata.' He thought. 'Toward the sun.'

Before he second guessed himself he grabbed as many of the long fuzzy green stems as he could in one hand and brought them back into the store. Ino immediately perked up when she saw him and eagerly took the large bundle off of his hands to place on the counter. She quickly cut the long stems down to size and tied them together with a bright lavender ribbon. She said that it was to make up for the fact that she was unable to give his Hinata lavender Dalilas. Once she wrapped the bouquet in newspaper, he handed her the cash for the flowers.

"It's such a shame you know." Ino sighed as she handed him his change. "All of the super hot guys are taken."

Sasuke smirked at the comment and took the bouquet back. As he walked back towards the front of the shop he actually felt much lighter than he had before. Suddenly he recalled a few Monday morning meetings he needed to do more research on and decided to head back to the office. Ino followed him out to the sidewalk and enthusiastically waved goodbye.

"If you have any single hot friends send them my way!"

 ** _To be continued..._**


	12. Sacrifice

**CCNote: If you would like to hear the cello piece in this chapter search for Suite 1 in G Major. Thank you to everyone who left a review on the last chapter. The last chapter was fluff, this is your real update for the week. A big shout out of thanks to my beta PrincessJelly! Enjoy!**

 **Sacrifice**

 **Friday, October 4, 2017, 2:21pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata clamped her hands over her mouth as she tried to muffle her moans. It wasn't doing much good but it was better than nothing. His rough hands gripped her hips tightly as he slammed into her repeatedly. She knew that there would be bruises there later. It was an even trade since his back was marked by her nails.

"Fuck." He groaned as she continuously met each of his thrusts in time.

Strewn around them were papers and pencils that they had haphazardly knocked off the desk in their haste. They certainly would have a mess to clean up later but for now, neither one of them cared. It was the first time that they had been able to be in a room alone together all week. They would deal with the consequences of their hasty decisions later. Sasuke grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head as he leaned down to capture her lips.

They shouldn't be doing this. She knew it was wrong but what could have easily been dismissed as temporary lapses in judgment had evolved into an addiction. Every touch, every glance left her wanting more. It was never enough. His tongue swirled around hers, blurring her thoughts and electrifying her all the way down to her toes. As he continued to thrust into her she felt the coil that had been tightening inside of her release. Her toes curled in her heels. Her hips bucked involuntarily as she rode out her orgasm, bringing Sasuke to a quick finish as well.

He released her hands but buried his face between her shoulder and neck. The heavy panting of their breathing and a phone ringing incessantly was the only sound to be heard. Wait. A phone? Hinata turned her head to the right to see her cell phone which somehow had managed to remain on the desk. Sasuke groaned into her neck as it continued to ring. She smiled and answered the call.

"Hello?" She said and smacked Sasuke's arm when he lightly bit her neck. He was incorrigible.

"Hinata where are you?" Neji asked, the serious tone in his voice dictating that this was not a casual call. In the background, she heard many unintelligible loud voices.

"I'm in my office, why?"

"Hinata have you forgotten about the press release?" Neji said with a sigh and Hinata mentally cursed. "Get down to the fifth floor now. You still have time before Uncle arrives."

Neji hung up the phone shortly after that and Hinata let out a sigh of frustration. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten something so important. Sasuke hovered over her with a slight look of concern.

"What happened?"

"The press release!"

"Fuck."

 **….**

 **Friday October 4 2017 4:00pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Thank you all for joining us here today to witness this announcement. We hope to have your continued support as we head into a bright future for the services with which we provide." Fugaku said and nodded his head in Hiashi's direction who leaned into his mic.

"On behalf of the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, thank you."

The bright bulbs of the cameras flashed incessantly from the press pool. She kept her eyes fixed on her father's broad back as he and Fugaku stood side by side to address the questions being lobbied at them. It wasn't often two powerful men shared a stage together and the media was curious as to what brought on their sudden alliance. While on the outside it appeared that they merely wanted to merge for the sake of innovation into the future, there was a much more worrisome truth. Hinata wasn't quite sure what it was that would make her father come down off of his high horse to align with his rival but it had to be something serious. Even Neji who was essentially her father's right-hand man had no idea the full extent to his reasoning. None of them dared to question him openly. Hiashi Hyuuga has his reasons for everything.

More unintelligible questions were shouted by the press as the two patriarchs cordially shook hands before filing off of the stage. Hinata and her sister stood from their seats behind their father and followed him off of the stage. They walked in lock step a foot behind their father and Neji managed to push his way through the crowd to their side. Once they were outside of the building they were escorted to their limo which of course was surrounded by more people from the press who were unable to make it inside of the building and protestors. Hinata had expected some backlash against the merge but to be faced with the reality of it was a different story.

"Globalist scum!"

"Fucking rich bastards!"

Hinata kept her eyes glued to her father's back and tightened her grip on Hanabi's hand. Between the constant camera flashes and the deafening noise, it was all she could do to keep one foot in front of the other.

"You don't give a shit about little people like us!"

"How can you sleep at night knowing you are running other people out of business?!"

"People like you make me sick!"

They banged on the windows of the limo once the doors were closed and she imagined that their protest continued well after they had driven away. They were being accused of everything from corruption to stock manipulation to aiding in the economic suppression of the lower class. All of the vitriolic claims were false but their words still hurt just the same. Had her father anticipated this backlash? Hinata could not blame people for feeling suspicious of the merge.

The Uchiha and Hyuuga influences were so far reaching into different sectors of their society that it made sense for others to see them as the bad guys. All they saw were two powerful family-run businesses about to become even more powerful. While she knew that eventually, they would once more fade to the back of people's minds she knew that they had to do something about their image. She looked over at her father who was busy scrolling through his phone and bit her lip. She wanted to say something to him, to voice her concerns but she let the words die in her throat. Judging by his furrowed brow and deep scowl, now was not the time. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

 **…..**

 **Friday October 4 2017 7:00pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"It's been so long since I've heard you play." Mikoto sighed as she rested her cheek in her open palm and took a small sip of red wine.

"It's only been a little over a month and a half mother." Sasuke said as he skillfully strummed his bow along the thick strings. He used to practice often back in their old home but now he rarely found the time.

"A month and a half too long!" Mikoto pouted. "I missed you."

Sasuke tried to suppress a blush from creeping up his cheeks. His mother always said the most embarrassing things. He focused his concentration on the vibrations created from his cello instead. His fingers flew over the strings in conjunction with his bow, filling the apartment with his mother's favorite song. The front door to the penthouse opened and Itachi entered the room with their Uncle Madara and cousin Shushui in tow. Mikoto slid over on the couch to make room for Itachi to sit down. Madara sat on the arm of the couch while Shisui leaned forward against the back.

"My, my, Sasuke you certainly have improved since the last time I heard you play." Madara said and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"The last time you heard him play he was fifteen, Uncle." Itachi defended and Madara huffed.

"Really? I could have sworn that you just turned sixteen yesterday. How old are you now?"

"You're getting old Uncle. You can't even keep up with the age of your nephews." Shisui snickered but Madara only waved him off.

"When you have lived as long as I have, you have earned the right to forget things from time to time."

Sasuke rolled his eyes again and finished up his song. Mikoto smiled and clapped her hands.

"Wonderful!" She said.

"Where is father?" Sasuke asked the new arrivals and they all pretended to suddenly become preoccupied with other things. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Itachi."

"He has a few loose strings to tie up before tomorrow's events." Itachi said.

Sasuke nodded but a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach didn't subside. He placed his cello back into its case by his feet and stood up to stretch. Whatever his father was doing it had to be pretty important for it to keep him away from home this late. He picked up the case and began walking from the living room towards his bedroom. He had only just closed the door when he heard a soft knock.

"Come in." He called as he set his cello case in the corner of the room. The door creaked open and Itachi walked in. From the serious look on his face, he was not here to joke around. The younger Uchiha crossed his arms over his chest and prepared himself for whatever Itachi was about to say.

"Sasuke," he started. "Father is meeting with a lawyer."

"Is someone suing us?" Sasuke asked and Itachi smiled and shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. He's stepping down."

"Hn, we both knew that this would happen eventually." Sasuke sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. This was the day that was always meant to happen. Itachi would ascend to the role as the head of their family and corporation. A position he had always been born to fulfill. "Congratulations."

"I am not accepting my position as his heir." Itachi said and Sasuke looked at him as though he had grown another head.

"What?"

"I'm not accepting-"

"I heard you the first time, why are you doing this?" Sasuke interrupted. "Are you trying to leave us?"

It wouldn't be that far in left field for Itachi to do such a thing. He had rejected the role of an heir for many years before father had finally worn him down. Itachi laughed and sat down on the bed. He motioned for Sasuke to join him but the younger man refused.

"I'm not leaving you, little brother. Father has been the head of this company since his father stepped down and his father before him. Each Uchiha male has taken up the mantle of our family and has inched us further and further down the path that we are currently on. It has led to our success and at times, near ruin. With this merge with the Hyuuga, this will become an even greater responsibility. Unfortunately, I am unable to carry this burden on my own. You have grown so much, even Father is beginning to take notice of your efforts."

"Itachi-"

"No, let me finish. Father is meeting with a lawyer to reverse all of the documents and shares that are in my name and make it so that they will now hold yours as well. We will be equals in all things from this day forward little brother."

 **…..**

 **Saturday, October 5, 2017, 6:30 pm**

 **Renaissance Hotel**

 **...**

Hinata bit her bottom lip as she stepped into the lavish lobby of the hotel. Everything was opulently decorated in gold leaf and marble. A giant chandelier dripping in crystals loomed overhead, casting a bright light over the room. By her side, Hanabi let out a low whistle of appreciation.

"Father has us sparing no expense tonight huh?" She said. Hinata and Neji nodded.

This event on its face was to celebrate the union of the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. It was meant to convey the hope that they had for propelling their new company into the future. In reality, it was all about power. The place would be stocked with the extended branches of the Hyuuga clan as well as the Uchiha. Everyone from their competitors to their allies would be here tonight to ring in the new era of their newly combined strength. Tonight had nothing to do with hope and change. Tonight people would kiss their feet and talk behind their backs, such was the way in the circle they resided. At the moment they were at the top of the hierarchy but one misstep would send them tumbling down to be devoured by the masses.

Hinata absently ran a hand over her silver gown to even out any imaginary wrinkles and prayed that everything went off without a hitch. These kinds of events always made her nervous. All around them, pale eyed Hyuugas bowed deeply to pay their respects to the heads of their family. Neji stepped in between the sisters and they hooked their arms through his. He confidently led them through the lobby and up a wide, winding spiral staircase. Once they had reached the second floor they entered the first door on the right which was meant to be a waiting area before they entered the ballroom. Already inside of the room were Mikoto, Sasuke, and Itachi. Sasuke had his back to them as he was adjusting his dark blue tie in the mirror while Mikoto stood next to him with her hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her face. Her deep burgundy dress with quarter length sleeves complimented her figure nicely and one would have never known that she was the mother of the two other men in the room. Itachi was slouched in one of the many plush chairs that dotted the small room finding pure amusement in his brother's struggle.

"Stop fidgeting Sasuke." Mikoto chided and smacked his hands away from his tie. "I already fixed it."

"I would listen to our mother if you want to keep your fingers." Itachi chuckled and looked up when he noticed their arrival. "Look what we have here."

Hinata blushed as Itachi quickly crossed the room and grabbed her hand. He pulled her away from Neji and spun her around.

"Don't you look absolutely gorgeous!" He gushed and Hinata laughed at his theatrics. "We will have to beat your suitors off with a stick tonight!"

"Hey! What about me?" Hanabi pouted as she put her hands on her hips. Itachi's smile widened and he took Hanabi's hand as well.

"You are the prettiest of them all my little firecracker." He said as he placed a short kiss on her knuckles.

Neji pulled them both back to his side and glared at the eldest Uchiha.

"Hands off Uchiha." He said flatly but Itachi only smirked and gave him a wink.

"Now now Itachi, behave." Mikoto reprimanded as she approached them. She kissed both of their cheeks and smiled brightly. "You girls do look beautiful. Hikari would be so pleased."

Hinata blushed as she felt the woman's lips press against her skin. It reminded her of the way her own mother would constantly smother her face with kisses when she was a little girl. She pressed her fingertips to her cheek as though it would keep the fleeting feeling of the kiss there for a little longer. Mikoto clicked her tongue as she held Hanabi's slightly messy braid in her hand and removed the pale blue ribbon at the end, effectively unraveling the braid. She expertly raked her fingers through her long brown hair and began redoing her hair in a much neater fashion.

"I always wanted a daughter." She sighed as her fingers nimbly weaved through Hanabi's brown tresses. "I imagine she would listen better than these two stubborn boys of mine. Hikari is lucky she got two girls instead."

"You knew our mother?" Hanabi asked bluntly, not minding in the slightest that the Uchiha matriarch was taking such liberties with her hair. Mikoto's eyes softened and she nodded her head.

"A long, long time ago. We used to be very good friends when we were girls but, as with many things, life happens." She said distantly as though recalling memories that had been buried deep down. The sisters listened with apt attention. Their father never talked about their mother. "We stayed in touch pretty well when I first got married and had Itachi but then I had Sasuke. My hands were much too full taking care of two boys and helping their father lead the company when I could. Over a year after Sasuke was born, Hikari had a baby girl of her own to care for so it was only natural that we drifted apart. We did see each other occasionally over the years though and she seemed happy. The last time I saw her, she told me that she was pregnant with her second child..."

Mikoto's voice trailed off as she realized how deep the waters were that she was wading through. She retied the ribbon to the end of Hanabi's braid. The Uchiha matriarch rubbed a thumb over Hanabi's cheek and smiled.

"There, much better!" She said just as the door to the room opened and the two family heads walked in. "Now you truly are the prettiest of them all."

"It's time." Hiashi said and led them all out of the room.

 **…..**

 **Saturday, October 5, 2017, 9:00pm**

 **Rennasaince Hotel**

 **...**

Hinata clutched Sasuke's arm tightly as he intercepted yet another aspiring ladder climber from pawning their son/cousin/nephew off on her. Itachi had been correct about one thing, they certainly did have to beat off the greedy barrage of suitors. Unfortunately, they did not have a stick. She had not anticipated that it would be this bad but Sasuke was a very good deterrent. He stayed by her side and was not distracted by any of the female offers that had been thrown his way. Being that they were both of marrying age it was no surprise that everyone was throwing their eligible relatives at them. The thought of getting married to any of them sent a chill down her spine. Someone of her stature would have been promised off to some wealthy son of a billionaire by now but she had managed to stave off the inevitable.

When her relationship with Naruto had begun organically, her father had seemed satisfied to let her make her own decisions. One does not climb much higher than the son of the nation's leader. If their relationship had worked out, Hanabi would have been named the heir and she would have joined the Uzumaki clan. Everything would have been tied up rather nicely. She might have even stayed with him, as unsatisfied as she was if it meant that her sister would have the possibility of rising up as the heir. However, after dating for almost three years, Naruto never showed any indication that he wanted to marry her. He was too preoccupied building the foundation of his political career to think of things like getting married or having children.

She had broached the topic once when her love for him was just starting to waver though the idea of little blonde children still made her heart flutter. He replied that if she wanted to get married and have children then he would give that to her. The answer had left a sour taste in her mouth. She didn't want him to tie himself to her further because that's what she desired. She _wanted_ him to want those things just as much as she did. If he had been more enthused about the prospect of a future together at the time would they still be together? Would she be planning a wedding right now? Would it have made her happy?

Hinata shook the thought from her mind and continued to smile and nod as a rich older woman droned on about something she didn't care about. The woman's young male companion tried to slyly grab her hand but she dodged it by sidestepping closer to Sasuke. She subtly squeezed Sasuke's arm and he smoothly extricated them from the awkward interaction. When they had gotten a considerable distance between them and the woman she squeezed his arm again and he looked down at her. His dark eyes made the chaotic environment around them cease to exist and she stood transfixed by his gaze.

"Thank you, Sasuke." She said softly and he smirked and opened his mouth to reply.

"Hey, bastard!" A familiar voice shouted from behind them and she felt her blood run cold.

'It couldn't be!' She thought, panic beginning to set in. Had she conjured him up just by thinking too hard?

"Idiot." Sasuke said as he turned them around to face the person who had shouted out to them.

Hinata felt her voice catch in her throat as her first love bounded up to them. He didn't seem to see her at first but when their eyes locked he sped up. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as he came closer and closer. This was the first time she had seen him in person since the day she had packed up her things and left. He had been smiling that day too although it didn't quite meet his eyes. Today his smile was huge, just as she had remembered when things between them were fine. When she was within arm's length he wrapped her up in his arms and squeezed her tightly before planting a kiss on her cheek. It was all typical Naruto behavior but he had pulled her a bit too close. His lips had remained a second too long.

"You look beautiful tonight Hinata!" Naruto said warmly. "Congratulations on the merge!"

"H-H-Hello Naruto." She stammered when he released her slightly but still kept an arm around her shoulders. "Thank you."

"You two know each other?" Sasuke asked tersely, his dark eyes searching for an answer between the two of them.

"W-well-"

"Actually-"

"Excuse me for a moment." The deep rolling baritone of her father cut in. "I need a moment alone with my daughter."

 **….**

 **Saturday, October 5, 2017, 9:37 pm**

 **Renaissance Hotel**

 **...**

The cool air of the fall night should have calmed her nerves and settled her blush but she remained a nervous wreck. On the outside, she was the picture of perfect calm as she had always been taught to be. On the inside, she was full of anxiety. In the hotel, her current and former lover were more than likely conversing with one another. She had no idea how that conversation would turn out but it didn't look good. She sucked in a deep breath and tried not to focus on tripping over an errant rock as she and her father walked together along the carefully cultivated garden path.

"Hinata." He began and she looked up at him expectantly. "Do you know what it means to be a Hyuuga?"

Hinata nodded her head slowly at her father's inquiry. _Family above all else_. _Duty to the cause. Honor what is right._ The words of her ancestors had been ingrained within her since the day she took her first steps. It was this phrase that pushed the Hyuugas throughout history down the path of prosperity. The cool breeze brushed against her flushed skin and the lights of the hotel were getting further and further away as the hedges grew taller.

"Family above all else." She recited as they continued down the dark garden path leaving the noisy Gala behind. "Duty to the cause. Honor what is right."

"Correct. Do you understand what it takes to uphold those three principles? To ensure that those below us are able to thrive?" Hiashi asked.

Hinata remained silent, this was not a question her father requested an answer to. He motioned to the rose bushes that surrounded them. The late blooms were lush and the color was painted black by the dim light of the crescent moon above them.

"Sacrifice." He said as he plucked one of the choicest blooms from the bush. "To get the best blooms one must constantly tear down and prune a rose bush so that in the following year the bush will flourish. At that point, one may admire their diligence but the pruning never ceases. Over and over one must take care to ensure that the roses are not allowed to run wild. Otherwise, they will swallow each other up and suffocate the less viable blooms. This sacrifice allows one to capitalize on a future you cannot see."

He pushed aside a few of the leaves of the bush where he had taken the rose and motioned for her to come closer. Just inside a lower branch was the start of a smaller bud just waiting to see the sun. It would have never had the chance to bloom if her father hadn't removed the already full rose from blocking its progress. Her father stepped away from the bush and led her down the path again, deeper and deeper into the maze of rose bushes.

"Roses are difficult to work with. They are stubborn and turn the soil acidic, making it difficult for other plants to thrive near them. If one is not careful they will prick themselves on its many thorns. Yet they are resilient plants that will survive on nearly any plot of land they are placed and when cared for properly, will no doubt flourish."

He stopped near the center of the maze and pointed towards a marble fountain in the center of the sprawling garden. Seated on the edge of the pool was Hanabi, the edges of her pale blue dress dipping slightly into the water as she toyed with the end of her braid. Standing next to her was a tall, lanky boy with dark brown hair and a sheepish smile on his face. Suddenly she recalled the picture that Hanabi had shown her a few weeks ago of that same boy. At the time she was much too tired to place a face to a name but now it all connected. That mischevious looking boy was none other than Konohamaru Senju, the only living grandson of the Senju dynasty and heir to their massive fortune. The Senju and a handful of old money families descended from royalty were the only ones higher than the Hyuuga. When they walked into the room, heads would turn. Their family had ruled the nation for hundreds of years and had only entrusted that task to the Uzumaki on the condition that they were still pulling the strings from behind the scenes. While they were no longer the face of the nation, their name was held in high esteem and held more power than anyone could fathom. A family as old and as powerful as the Senju would never accept a mere second daughter to be a match for the only grandson to carry on their lineage. Even if she was a Hyuuga. She needed more.

Konahamaru placed a hand on Hanabi's head, ruffling her brown locks so they looked slightly messy. She tried to smooth it back out but he grabbed her wrist. What Konohamaru said next they could not hear but it made Hanabi blush furiously and mumble something under her breath. When he let go of her wrist she punched him lightly on his arm. Her response caused the boy to laugh, the joyful sound echoing off into the night. Hiashi took Hinata's arm once more and led her back to the party in silence. When they reached the entrance of the hotel, her father stopped and handed her the rose he had taken. Now that they were in the light she could see the deep red color that coated the thick petals. He cupped her cheek and raised her face so that she was looking into eyes that had given her her own.

"To uphold our family there are things that we must do. Sacrifices that we must make for a future we can't see."

The sound of the glass door to the garden sliding open effectively ended their conversation. Her father's hand slowly left her face and she turned to see the one who had interrupted their conversation. Standing before them was Gaara. His red hair was slicked back and his green eyes shone with that natural intensity they always possessed. Her fingers tightened around the stem of the rose and ignored the sharp prick of the thorns. Slowly but surely she was beginning to understand the meaning behind her father's words. That she would never be his heiress. That she would have to prune her own blooms to make way for a brighter future. The continued future of their family. A future where she would tie herself to a man she barely knew for the sake of their family. She straightened her back and looked ahead, past Gaara, past the other guests that milled behind him. Inside she saw Mikoto ruffing Sasuke's hair and Itachi smiling at his brother's grimace. The brief happiness that had bloomed in their presence, in _his_ arms had to be cut down. A heavy lump formed in her throat.

"Good evening Hiashi, Hinata."


	13. Falling

**CCNote: Wow oh WOW! Over 400 reviews! I am so stinking overjoyed that so many people like this story enough to review it like this! To celebrate this milestone, let's play a game. In the spirit of the number 4 there can only be 4 winners. Your prize will be the choice of 1 of 4 deleted scenes.**

 **1\. Sasuke and Hinata Living Room Lemon**

 **2\. Itachi and Hinata Cooking Catastrophe**

 **3\. Sasuke's Awkward Sunflower Delivery Service**

 **4\. Sasuke and Hinata's Office Escapades**

 **So how do you win one of these delicious deleted scenes hmmmm? Easy! Just answer one simple question. _What are 4 of my favorite things?_ There are easter eggs hidden throughout the story via reoccurring themes/things and in my author's notes. If you've been paying attention, this is an extremely easy question. Only the first 4 people to get all 4 correct can win but these deleted scenes will EVENTUALLY be posted at the END of this story...whenever that is. Leave a review as a Guest(with a unique tag line/name) or signed in to your account. I will announce the winners NEXT week. GOOD LUCK!**

 _ **To the reviewers who drop whatever they are doing whenever there is an update:**_ **I freaking love you! I don't mean to interrupt your shows/work/whatever you're doing but I appreciate the dedication!**

 ** _To the reviewers who analyzed the shit out of the last chapter:_ Slow effing clap for you. Like, you really and truly got the essence of what I am getting at right now with the plot and its characters. I highly recommend people to read their theories.**

 _ **To the reviewers who read my story within 24 hours and reviewed every single DAMN chapter:**_ **Yo, I was literally refreshing my email just so I could read your reactions to every chapter lol. They were thoroughly entertaining and omg I felt the love! Thank you!**

 **Sorry for the extra long CCNote! Shout out to my awesome beta PrincessJelly! Enjoy!**

 **Falling**

 **Saturday October 5, 2017, 9:36pm**

 **Hotel Renaissance**

 **...**

Sasuke watched as Hiashi and Hinata weaved their way through the crowd and headed out towards the glass doors that lead to the expansive grounds of the hotel. Beside him, Naruto sighed and his shoulders slumped. He glanced at the unusually morose man and nudged him with his elbow. Naruto blinked quickly as though snapping out of a trance and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"I've royally fucked up Sasuke." Naruto said with a half hearted chuckle at his own self-depreciation.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the statement and Naruto pointed his thumb towards the staircase that led to the second-floor balconies. He followed behind the blonde, dodging women who grabbed onto him and men vying to pitch him their proposals. He knew that the behavior was rude but he was suddenly not in the mood to placate anyone. When they reached the door to one of the many private balconies overlooking the grounds he could still see Hinata and her father walking arm and arm towards the dark hedge maze. Her silver dress caught the moonlight with each step forward. Sasuke tore his eyes away and took a seat on the stone bench adjacent to the railing while Naruto watched them until they disappeared. The blonde rested his cheek in his hand and reached into his suit pocket to pull out a flask. Sasuke rolled his eyes and snatched the flask away just as it touched his lips.

"Talk." Sasuke said and put the flask into his own pocket. Naruto turned away from the grounds and leaned his back against the railing.

"Hinata is..." He started hesitantly. "Hinata is my ex-girlfriend."

Sasuke leaned against the railing as well as he processed what Naruto was saying. So _he_ was the former boyfriend she had mentioned. She never talked about him much but sometimes he would notice her lost in thought with a small frown on her face when she believed that no one was looking. If Naruto's dark demeanor was anything to go by he wasn't quite over their separation. This was...unfortunate. He retrieved the flask from his pocket, unscrewed the top, and took a large swing. Naruto took a drink as well and hissed as the liquor hit the back of his throat before he passed the flask back to Sasuke.

"We had been together for three years." Naruto said as he looked up at the dark sky above them. "The day she told me she loved me I had no idea what to do. I had never heard those words uttered by anyone that wasn't my mother or father. I was always marked as dead last, that I would never amount to anything. I would only be a liability to my father and anyone else around me. For awhile I believed them ya know."

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair as he took another drink from the flask. He definitely didn't want to hear his best friend declare his undying love for the woman he was currently with. Something about Naruto's face made him stay put despite his discomfort and inherent desire to punch him in the face.

"Then here she comes out of the blue with a confession and I had no idea how to take it but it made me happy. To feel respected and admired by someone else. To have someone to believe in you when for so long you could only believe in yourself." The blonde continues, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It was great for a while you know, her father even let us get our own place together."

"She's an amazing cook!"

 _'I know.'_

"She knows just the right thing to say to pick you up."

 _'I know.'_

"It feels like you kicked a puppy if you make her sad."

 _'I know.'_

"She was only a vir-"

"Naruto." Sasuke cut off sharply, his nails cut into his palms as he tried to keep his temper under control. He was going to punch the man if he kept down that train of thought. Naruto didn't mind, he only shrugged his shoulders and drank more.

"She really did love me and I tried to love her back but I just couldn't. I think she could sense it too, she's patient but she's not dumb. One day she asked me about having a family and I panicked. Of course, I said that I was willing but on the inside, I knew I wasn't ready for that. I still don't know if I'm ready for that with anyone actually. I think she also knew that and we just began drifting apart."

"I didn't know you even had a...girlfriend." Sasuke said as he took the flask from Naruto and took a swig, the word girlfriend tasted sour on his tongue. Naruto smirked and turned to face the grounds again.

"That's because it was a secret. To the public at least." Naruto explained just as two figures re-emerged from the maze. "Hiashi didn't want Hinata's name tarnished if something were to go wrong and it wouldn't be a good look for the country to see the leader's son dating around. But-"

Naruto paused and gripped the edge of the railing until his knuckles turned white. Noticing his blue eyes glare down at something below, Sasuke turned around to see what had his attention. Hiashi and Hinata had now been joined by none other than Gaara. Sasuke felt his anger flare up even more as Hiashi left the two of them alone and headed back into the gala.

"Now she's going to be shipped off to Sabaku and I can't help but think it's my fault." Naruto mumbled wearily.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. Naruto shrugged and motioned for him to pass the flask back.

"All of the advisor wives are whispering about it. They're just pissed that none of their daughters have gotten Gaara's interest. Suna is a bit more regressive than we are. Gaara is actually the youngest son of the Sabaku family but the eldest child is his sister and his brother was seen as unfit to lead. Neither one of them can take over in case something happens to him so he needs an heir. Hiashi is trying to strike a deal with him."

'Strike a deal.' Sasuke thought as he watched the pair re-enter the party. 'Like his own daughter was property that could be auctioned off to the highest bidder.'

"This is all my fault." Naruto mumbled and closed his eyes.

"Do you love her?" Sasuke asked, each word feeling more forced than the last. Naruto looked up at him for a long moment as though trying to figure out why he would ask such a thing. When he couldn't find the answer, the blonde sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"No." he said finally and Sasuke relaxed by a small fraction with this knowledge.

The silence of the humid night air was oppressive around them. Both left to stew in their own thoughts. Sasuke wasn't quite sure what to make of this new development but he wasn't going to allow Hinata to be carted off like a chess piece. He wasn't going to go the route that Naruto had chosen, one that was resigned to a higher authority. Naruto worked within the system. Sasuke loathed it. He had never been fond of authority figures anyway. If this was the game Hiashi wanted to play, he'd play. He'd win. He'd smash the board and scatter its pieces.

 **…..**

 **Saturday, October 5 10:47 pm**

 **Hotel Renaissance**

 **...**

Hinata bit her lower lip as she tried not to cry in front of all these people. She could do this. She _had_ to do this. She was a Hyuuga above all else. Above what Sasuke might think of this decision. Above her own selfish feelings. She took a deep breath and watched as her father and Fugaku sat at the long table on a raised stage as they prepared for the signing ceremony. This was for the betterment of their family. Her father was a proud man. She knew that it had to be humbling for him to have reached out to the Uchiha in the first place. He had set aside his pride to do what he knew to be the right path. Why couldn't she also follow in his footsteps?

She noticed the glass door opening and Hanabi slipping into the crowd with a barely concealed grin on her face. The younger girl craned her neck as she scanned the crowd and Hinata knew that she was looking for her. Hinata loved her sister but she didn't want to look at her right now. She didn't want to look at her father nor his followers. She didn't want to smile, she didn't want to cajole. She looked down at her hand on Gaara's arm and couldn't help the queasy feeling that began to bubble up within her. She rubbed her free hand against her dress to wick away the moisture that had accumulated but it didn't help.

The room felt as though it had become ten degrees hotter and her chest tightened. Hinata was familiar with these signs. After the death of her mother, she had become prone to fainting spells and had gotten quite adept at recognizing the signs early enough to stave off an episode. Carefully she slipped away from Gaara and stealthily moved through the bodies that had been packed into the ballroom. Once she made it out into the cooler hallway she still didn't feel very well. It felt as though the room was spinning and she would collapse at any moment. She leaned against the cold marble and willed her breathing to even out but to no avail.

"Hyuuga." She heard a voice call behind her before she felt her upper arm yanked roughly to pull her upright.

The person pulled her close and she felt her heart beat gradually slow. An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her forward through the hotel lobby and out to where there were dozens of luxury vehicles parked to whisk away their owners. Hinata tried to break free but the person's hold was too strong and she was much too weak to do anything. The person silently led her to one of the cars and the driver promptly opened the door. Her captor was surprisingly gentle as they scooped her up and helped her into the car.

The door to the car shut behind her and for a second Hinata closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cold window pane. It was quiet here. She did her best to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth until she no longer felt like the world was spinning. She lifted her head from the window and the door to the car opened. Her eyes widened as she realized that her captor had been none other than Sasuke. She would have blushed from embarrassment if she didn't feel so drained.

"Hyuuga." He said calmly, eyebrows raised slightly as though asking her the silent question of if she was ready to return.

Was she ready? Did she want to go back? Being that this was such an important event her absence had probably been noted. Sasuke's as well since he had been standing outside of the car this whole time. She closed her eyes and imagined how many more people she would have to speak to and smiles she would have to give. She wanted none of it. Without opening her eyes she shook her head. She couldn't do it. Sasuke climbed into the backseat as well and with only a few exchanges of words with the driver, they pulled off into the night. She leaned her forehead against the cool window again, watching the lights of the city flash by quickly.

"Where do you live?" Sasuke asked and Hinata shook her head.

She didn't _want_ to go home.

"Where do want to go?"

She shook her head again. She had no idea. All she knew was that she wanted to be far far away. Away from her obligations and duties. Far away from the burden she was being asked to undertake. She wanted to be selfish. She wanted to be loved. Sasuke's fingers brushed against her cheeks as he pushed some of her hair off of her face. His fingertips left a trail of electricity and her eyes fluttered open to meet his. In that moment she knew exactly what she wanted.

"Stay with me."

 **…..**

 **Sunday, October 6, 2017, 12:23 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

The room was dark, the only light that filtered through was from the other buildings that surrounded them. Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed with his shirt unbuttoned and dark eyes following her every move. She shivered under his gaze but didn't avert her eyes. Despite how nervous it made her there was something about the desire in his eyes that kept her standing still. She reached around her back and unzipped her gown. The heavy silver material fell down to a pool at her feet laying bare her skin to the man before her. He motioned for her to come closer and when she was within his reach he sat her in his lap. He held her face in his hands, thumbs rubbing over her skin and sending more sparks through her body.

His eyes never left her's for a second, conveying a message she wasn't sure how to decipher. He tasted like whiskey. When he kissed her there was the same strange feeling in the pit of her stomach but there was a different edge to it. His tongue moved against hers gently, sweetly, in a fashion that she had never expected him to be capable of. The sensation made her mind feel fuzzy and the tips of her fingers go numb. His hands glided slowly over every inch of her skin as though he were trying to memorize her every curve.

Hinata pulled away from their kiss and traced the strong lines of his jaw. His aristocratic features were truly a work of art. She placed soft kisses along his jaw and down his pale neck, sliding his shirt off his shoulders to expose more skin for her to explore. His pale skin glowed in the dim light of the room and she smiled as goose bumps popped up wherever her lips touched. For such a stern man, he was very receptive to her touch. While this was a nice reaction she wanted, no _needed_ , more. She wanted to watch the elusive Sasuke Uchiha melt by her hand and become utterly unraveled. She wanted him to need her just as much as she needed him.

She slipped off of his lap and nestled herself on her knees between his legs. Her hands ran smoothly up his thighs before she unzipped his pants and set his hardened member free. She blushed as she looked at it up close, this was what gave her immense pleasure. The thing that made her orgasm repeatedly and forget her own name. She nervously brushed her hand against it, causing Sasuke to suck in his breath. She looked up at him in surprise. Was he really that sensitive here? She wrapped her whole hand around it and he bucked slightly in her hand. A small bead of cum was beginning to form at the tip and she used her thumb to swirl it around, relishing the reaction that she got from him.

Tentatively, Hinata licked it, tasting the cum that had begun accumulating at the tip again. It was salty but it wasn't unpleasant. Deciding that she didn't mind the taste, she took him into her mouth fully and wrapped her hand around what she couldn't fit. Sasuke's fingers weaved their way through her hair, his grip tightening as her tongue experimentally swirled around him. She liked this, this control that she was able to have over him. It made the warmth she felt in the pit of her stomach spread outwards and his restrained breathing turned her on even more. She sucked faster and faster, her hand moving in time with her mouth. She could feel his member become stiffer in her mouth and wondered if that meant that he would cum soon. It made her wet just thinking about it.

Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance to find out because Sasuke pulled her head back, his chest rising and falling. For a moment she thought that she had done something wrong but the smothering look in his eyes quelled her insecurity. Hinata stood up before him and he quickly hooked his fingers around her damp underwear and pulled them down. His fingers skillfully slid up her thighs and rubbed her swollen center. He smirked up at her, pleasantly surprised to find her already wet and more than ready for him. He pulled her onto the bed and spread her legs so that he could fit between them.

Hinata pushed his pants down low on his hips and he pulled them the rest of the way off. Sasuke captured her lips once more and she responded eagerly to his every touch, raising her hips so that the tip of his length rubbed against her. He groaned at her enticement and gave into her silent request. Hinata gasped as he entered her. This was entirely different from before. What was this? One of his rough hands fondled her breast while he placed languid kisses along her neck and shoulder. She clenched around him as he bit her.

"Sasuke!" She moaned, fingernails digging into his shoulders.

The way he fucked her was so intoxicating that she was sure that it had to be a trick of her own mind. Every bit of her met him thrust for thrust and her heart felt as though it would burst at any moment. It was too good. How was something like this even possible? He pulled her in for another kiss, gentle and coaxing. She responded in kind and rolled her hips against his. It made her feel warm...safe...

"Hinata." He groaned and the sound of her name on his tongue sent a jolt through her.

They fit together perfectly and it wasn't long before she found herself orgasming around him. After a few more thrusts Sasuke also met his end, his warm seed filling her up. He rolled off of her and both of them stared up at the ceiling with labored breaths. She felt his fingers intertwine with her own and her hand felt so small in his possession. As she came down from her high she realized something. Out of all of the times that they had been together, _this_ was the first time that they had made love. It was an entirely new sensation that almost made her want to cry when she realized what it meant. This was no longer something that was casual that she could easily walk away from. She was beginning to fall for Sasuke Uchiha.

Was she really falling in love with the man who randomly brought her sunflowers and claimed that she should show up the work earlier no matter how early she arrived? Was she falling for someone who held her hair as she threw up uncontrollably and still looked at her at the end of the day like she was beautiful? He was obstinate, ambitious, and had a quick temper. In many ways, he was very much like her father and that thought made a lump form in her throat. Tears began to prick at the corners of her eyes and she did nothing to stop them from tumbling down.

 **...**

 **Sunday, October 6, 2017, 4:37 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

The early morning breeze ruffled through her hair as she approached the front door of her house. She had stolen clothes and slipped out of Sasuke's apartment in the wee hours of the morning before even an early bird like him could wake up. As much as it pained her to leave him she knew that she couldn't do this anymore. Her feelings for him were no longer casual and she had to walk away before they became any deeper.

The house was thankfully quiet as she entered and no one seemed to be waiting to ambush her to interrogate where she had been the last few hours. Slowly she made her way up the stairs and down the hall to where her room resided at the very end. Hinata opened the door to her room and sighed deeply when she noticed the lump nestled in the center of her bed. The tufts of brown hair peeking out from under the white comforter let her know that it was Hanabi.

Her heart twisted with guilt as she imagined her sister staying up all night waiting for her to come back home. The animosity that she had felt towards Hanabi from before had fully dissipated and now just left her feeling sick. Her sister had done nothing wrong in this situation and Hinata knew that she had no idea what was happening behind her back. What she was willing to sacrifice for her happiness...

Hinata placed the bag that held her dress on the floor and crawled into the bed. The extra weight caused the mattress to sink slightly. Hanabi groaned and opened her eyes. Hinata smiled as she slipped under the covers, Hanabi had always been a light sleeper. The younger Hyuuga looked up at her through tired eyes and gave her a small frown.

"Where have you been?" She asked groggily, her voice full of exhaustion. Hinata ran her fingers through Hanabi's hair and the girl's eyes closed, forgetting her line of questioning.

"Did you have fun last night?" Hinata asked and Hanabi nodded weakly, worming her way into Hinata's warmth. "Are you happy?"

Hanabi's face broke into a weary smile and her arms wrapped around Hinata's waist as she scooted in close.

"Hinata...I think...maybe, I'm falling in love..." She whispered as she fell back to sleep and Hinata felt her heart clench painfully at the admission. She kissed the top of Hanabi's head and closed her eyes.

"Me too."

 ** _To be continued..._**


	14. Lonely

**CCNote: There is still time to answer the question from last chapter so if you know my 4 favorite things go ahead give a crack at it. There are already some people who have gotten it correct. Winners will be announced next week and as promised will receive an extra deleted scene. This was originally supposed to be split into two chapters so it's a bit long but I think it works better this way.**

 **For the reviewers that have mixed feelings about Naruto: I have mixed feelings about him too. I think he's a great character and fun to write but he is just not a good pairing for Hinata. I felt like the whole Boruto thing was bs and find him to be a kinda shitty dad/husband. He can't help it. He's the hokage blah blah blah. Fight me lol. Sasuke's also a questionable dad and an even worse husband/bootycall/are they actually together? but I never got the feeling he liked Sakura all that much in the first place so that whole pairing being canon gives me the creeps. The Naruto world would be a much better place if it sailed on a SasuHina ship**

 **To BanjotheFox: I like to think of myself as a gold star trash bag. Like one of those glad bags that holds an insane amount of stuff. From here on please refer to me as the Duchess of Trash. If you're going to tell me to go fuck myself you should at least put some respect on my name.**

 **As always a huge shoutout to my beta PrincessJelly who helps to make this story the way it is. Enjoy!**

 **Lonely**

 **Saturday October 12 2017 10:55am**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

 _"Me too."_

"Hinata, I'm worried about you."

Hinata smiled weakly into tea that had long since grown cold. She had been trying so hard to keep a straight face all week but now she felt drained. What should be a fun outing with her friend had been nothing but sour due to her own poor attitude. Tenten's soft brown eyes analyzed her carefully and she placed her hand on top of hers. Hinata slipped her hand away and interlaced her fingers in her lap.

"I'm fine Ten." She replied gently and Tenten shook her head.

"No you're not you...you look like..." She said sternly and Hinata looked up at her curiously.

"Like what?"

"Like...Neji..." She said, her voice faint and still full of hurt after a whole year. "Hinata, if something is going on please tell me."

"I'm fine. I promise." She said and tried to make her smile seem genuine.

Tenten wasn't buying it but she didn't press further and for that she was grateful. She really wasn't in the mood to talk about it. She had expended all of her energy into avoiding and ignoring Sasuke all week. Working with him had once been an annoyance that slowly morphed into something that she looked forward to doing. Now she had to start depriving herself of that. Like an addict, she was coming down and it wasn't fun, especially now that she was feeling so confused about her own emotions towards Sasuke. He wasn't making it easy either...

 _Hinata sighed as she tried to send off one last email. She had been showing up later and later to avoid Sasuke in the mornings before he headed out for his morning meetings and leaving early before he arrived. She took whatever she could home with her to work on and the anxiety that she felt was starting to become evident. Bags were forming around her eyes and her skin was even paler than usual. She put it off as just stress from the merger to anyone who asked but that excuse was already beginning to sound tired. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost three. Sasuke would be returning soon. She pressed send and began packing her bag full of files to work on at home. Sakura looked up from where she had her own work spread out across the low table in the middle of the room._

 _"You're leaving already?" She asked, her voice full of concern._

 _"Yea. I have...things..."Hinata said. It was a pitiful excuse. She was usually much better at lying than this but the week had worn her down._

 _"Hinata, you've been acting off all week. As a friend I'm worried." Sakura said and Hinata just waved off her concern. She had gotten very good at doing that recently._

 _"I'm fine Sakura. Really." She smiled and slung her bag over her arm. "Don't let Sasuke work you too hard okay?"_

 _Sakura opened her mouth to undoubtedly continue pressing the issue but the door to the office opened. Hinata felt her heart drop in the pit of her stomach as he looked her up and down, his lips pressing into a tight line of what she knew was disapproval. She looked at a point past his head and marched forward to leave but he didn't move._

 _"Sakura." He said as he placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You are needed in Accounting."_

 _"Accounting? What?" The woman asked perplexed. When Sasuke didn't expand on the directive she let out a frustrated huff but departed quickly enough._

 _Hinata tried to follow after her but Sasuke kept her planted firmly with his hand. He closed the door and locked it._

 _"You are avoiding me." He said stiffly and Hinata shook her head._

 _"I'm just busy."_

 _"You're lying."_

 _Hinata bit her bottom lip and shifted her grip on her bag. She didn't know what to say. She was avoiding him. Every time she looked at him her heart twisted uncomfortably. Seeing him was a constant reminder of what she shouldn't do. What she wouldn't do. He reached out to touch her but she took a step back. His hand fell to his side and he let out a slow breath._

 _"The other night...you...left." He started awkwardly and her stomach did a flip. The last thing she wanted to talk about with him was the night of the gala. "Did you...do you..."_

 _His voice trailed off as he allowed his unspoken question to hang in the air and her temper flared up slightly at the accusation. It had been their first time together without using a condom but she wasn't an idiot._

 _"I am on birth control if that's what you're worried about." She snapped looking up at his dark eyes and immediately regretted it. Instead of a hard, impassive gaze, his eyes were...soft. She felt her quick temper lessen. That wasn't what he was asking at all. The look he had in his eyes right now was the same one he had that night._

 _"That night-" he started but she cut him off._

 _"Sasuke I have to go."_

 _She moved around him and placed her hand on the door knob but he caught her wrist._

 _"Hinata."_

 _"Please." She said, her voice barely above a whisper._

 _His fingers slowly let go of her wrist and she quickly unlocked and reopened the door. On the other side, Sakura was poised with her fist up in preparation to knock. Hinata skirted around her and slowly made her way down the hall._

 _"Sasuke, Accounting doesn't need me." Hinata heard Sakura say tersely, closing the door behind her..._

"How are the renovations coming along?" Hinata asked in an attempt to steer the conversation in a more positive direction. Tenten knew what she was trying to do but let it slide.

"Slow and steady." She said and stirred her coffee absently as the bell to the front door jingled with its opening. "We should be able to reopen at the end of December, just in time for the new year showcase."

"That's great. Are you going to compete again this year?"

"Yeeeaaa whoa." Tenten gasped and her eyes widened to the size of saucers at something behind her. Hinata turned around and could see what warranted that reaction. Naruto Uzumaki was standing in the middle of the empty coffee shop with a lopsided grin on his face.

"I should goooo...check my schedule for next week! Yea that's it!" Tenten said as she got up from the table. Hinata shook her head furiously to keep her from leaving but the brunette ignored her silent pleas.

"Hey, Hina." Naruto said cheerfully as he slid into the seat that Tenten vacated.

"H-hey Naruto." She greeted softly and tried to return his smile but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"I looked for you the other night but you slipped off, everything okay?"

"It was just getting a little hot. I...I had to step out for a moment."

"You should take better care of yourself!" Naruto said in what he thought was a reprimanding tone but he couldn't stay serious for long. He reached across the table and ruffled her hair. "That's what you always used to tell me. It's good advice. You should follow it."

Hinata studied his face and it was nothing but sincerity.

"Thank you, Naruto."

"Hey," he started off hesitantly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and avoiding her eyes. "I know I took you for granted when we were together. You believed in me before anyone else did. I'm sorry. I said I wanted us to remain friends and I mean it."

"Naruto-"

"No, I really mean it this time Hinata. I want to be there for you this time. Anything you need!"

"I don't know." She said softly, she wasn't quite sure it was a good idea but Naruto was insistent. He grabbed one of her hands between his own and his cerulean blue eyes stared her down.

"If you need me to beat someone up I can do it." He said and leaned in close to lower his voice to a whisper. Hinata felt her lips twitch. "I know how to get rid of dead bodies."

Hinata blanched at his statement and he laughed.

"I'm serious though. Don't disappear for nine months. Let's be friends, for real this time."

"Pumpkin spice latte, double shot of espresso!" The barista called from the counter and Naruto looked up.

"That's me! I've gotta go but please call me sometime." He said and jumped up to collect his to-go cup from the counter.

Hinata watched him as he charmed the barista with that sparkling smile he doled out so freely and felt the tension in her chest lessen slightly. Naruto's bright presence always put her in a better mood. In fact, there was not a single person that came in contact with him that wasn't positively impacted in some way. The man had a gift. He walked backward towards the front door and waved goodbye enthusiastically.

"Your birthday's coming up! I expect an invite!" He shouted and Hinata shook her head.

'Some things never change.' She thought.

Her birthday was nearly two months away but he never forgot in the three years that they were together. He always tried to do something special. Even if special meant making a coupon book of ramen vouchers one year. She gave him a small wave goodbye and watched him depart from the large store front window. He had a huge goofy grin on his face as he continued to wave from outside and was so preoccupied that he ran into another person who was too busy texting on their phone to look up. Hinata lowered her hand and stood up quickly as she realized that the person he had run into was Ino and she was going to fall hard on the concrete.

She watched as he struggled to keep his coffee from spilling and still prevent the accident that she was positive would have happened if it had not been for his quick reflexes. His arm wrapped around her waist and caught her just in time before her head was cracked open on the sidewalk. He pulled her up and held her close. Hinata's eyes switched between the two of them quickly as if she were watching an intense tennis match. Both of them were too stunned to move away from one another, that is until Naruto dropped his coffee and it splattered on the sidewalk like a grenade at their feet. The two of them separated immediately. Hinata sat back down and watched the two of them skirt around each other, hands waving, mouths moving quickly as they tried to explain away the awkward accident to each other.

A body guard placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and Ino bowed deeply as she held out her wallet in an effort to apologize for making him spill his coffee. Hinata pressed a hand to her heart as Naruto stared at her slack jawed and at a complete loss for what to do. She felt her lips turn upward as Naruto's ears began to turn red from embarrassment. When he didn't accept her money, Ino pulled out a purple pen from her purse and grabbed Naruto's hand. She scrawled something on it quickly and bowed again before heading into the cafe. The bell rang and Ino began walking across the cafe when she spotted Hinata. The blonde's cheeks were tinted red from her brief encounter and she was a bit breathless.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Ino called from across the room. "There were a lot of customers-"

There was a loud rapping on the glass and both women looked up to see Naruto still outside. He motioned for a second body guard holding a brief case to come over quickly. The man was hesitant at first since it was known that his charge was rather unpredictable at times it was only natural to be cautious. Naruto opened the briefcase and pulled out a notebook and a pen. He tapped on the window again and motioned for Ino to come forward. The blonde woman chanced a quick glance at where Hinata was sitting in the far corner of the room but walked to the window anyway.

Naruto wrote something quickly on the notebook and then pressed the paper against the glass. Messily scrawled in bright orange marker was his telephone number. He held his thumb up and he seemed to smile even brighter. Hinata rested her cheek in her palm and watched as the start of something truly genuine started to unfold. When Ino finally copied the number in her phone she smiled and this time she meant it.

 **…..**

 **Saturday October 12 2017 6:45pm**

 **Hyuuga Compund**

 **...**

Hinata frowned as she put her hand on her hips and regarded the half packed suitcase on her bed. It would have been _all_ packed if it hadn't been for her discovery that half of her makeup was missing. She had turned her room inside out for the better half of an hour before she realized that it was futile. Hanabi must have had a case of sticky fingers and decided to help herself. Unfortunately, she couldn't exactly go hunt her down since she was off doing god knows what with a certain Senju boy. The girl's head had been in the clouds and it was nearly impossible for anyone to bring her back down. Hinata couldn't fault her though. She was happy and, as her big sister, she would do anything to keep it that way. She had promised their mother that she would take care of Hanabi. That she would love her sister and protect her. It was a tall order for an eight-year-old but she had kept her promise this long.

Sighing she returned to clearing out her bedside drawer of what she might need and her fingers brushed against her plastic birth control container. She picked it up and debated whether she should bring it with her or not. It wasn't like she was going to need it during the business summit and since she was swearing off of a certain Uchiha she shouldn't need it right? A knock on her already open door made her jump and she clumsily shoved the birth control into her suitcase.

"Am I interrupting something?" Neji asked with a low chuckle as he leaned casually against the door jam and Hinata shook her head.

"You just surprised me!"

Neji smiled and walked into the room. He looked at her suitcase and picked up one of the many black dresses she had stuffed haphazardly inside of it. He shook his head and began folding it correctly.

"You don't have to do that!" Hinata said and blushed as Neji continued to unpack her clothing out of her suitcase. Neji didn't listen of course and stubbornly kept doing what he was doing.

"It is rare that I get to care for you nowadays. I'm usually running after Hanabi. Let me do this."

Hinata blushed and nodded her head. Neji was her cousin but he had always been more of an older brother to her and Hanabi. When her uncle and aunt had died in a car accident he had been brought into the main house of the compound to be raised alongside her. It had been a rough transition. Losing both parents at once would have been a difficult for any child to deal with and Neji was no exception.

She was the pampered girl living in the main house with both of her parents alive and loving her. When she cried, which was usually for anything, her mother was always there to pick her up and dote on her. At that point in her life her father was not yet head of their clan so he had plenty of time to spend on teaching her how to dig in the dirt and care for her own small garden. If there was one thing Neji hated the most it was watching her spend time with her father. Her uncle Hizashi was her father's identical twin brother and it must have hurt him exponentially to see his father's face every day but know that it wasn't him.

To get back at her, he shunned her at school and ignored the bullies when they teased her. At home, he pushed her whenever he walked by and stomped all over her flowers. Once he even stuck gum in her hair as she was sleeping and all of her hair had to be shaved off. Neji was a horrid child but the day they found out that her mother died he instantly blamed himself. That day Hiashi was the only one to return with a crying bundle of blankets and a face made of stone. Neji locked himself in his room for a week and only came out for meals. When he did finally begin to come around more he was glued to her side and it was impossible to get rid of him. He was attached worse than the gum he'd stuck in her hair.

"Hinata." Neji sighed and Hinata blinked. She had been so lost in thought she had not realized that he was trying to get her attention. "Hinata you've got to pay better attention. The others are going to eat you alive if you don't."

"Sorry, Neji." Hinata said softly.

"Don't apologize. It's your first conference so I understand if you are a little distracted." he said and placed her last dress into the suitcase. "It's in Suna right?"

"Yea." Hinata replied and her good mood started to wane a bit. Neji's seemed to darken as well.

"I have heard about the arrangement being drafted between Uncle and Sabaku."

Hinata nodded her head slowly. It was only a matter of time before Neji found out.

"Have you made a decision?" He asked and Hinata nodded slowly.

"Good. I have heard that Sabaku is a stable person. You yourself called him...kind. Arranged marriages are common in our family. Your mother's marriage was arranged and there is no doubt in my mind that she loved Uncle." Neji said as he closed her suitcase and zipped it up. "Family above all else. Duty to the cause. Honor what is right. Those are our words and with them seals our fate. I know that you will uphold them to the best of your ability. The clan always comes first Hinata. We have always succeeded that way. However, I am not so sure as I once was. There are things that are asked of us that hurt deeply and those words provide little comfort at night."

 **….**

 **Sunday October 13 2017**

 **Konoha International Airport Departure Gate D**

 **...**

"Are you going to miss me, little brother?" Itachi asked as he threw an arm around Sasuke's shoulder only to be pushed off. "So mean. I will just have to find love elsewhere."

Sasuke's eye twitched as he realized just what his brother meant by finding love elsewhere. He turned around to see Hinata approaching them with Neji carrying her suitcase. His heart twisted as she came closer and closer. Their eyes caught for a brief moment and a flood of foreign emotion flooded through him. What was this? He felt as though something was being taken from him. It was as if she was getting on that plane with something that was his. That night of the gala she had stolen something from him and he was afraid that he wasn't going to get it back.

Hinata broke eye contact with him just as Itachi reached her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and led her over to where he was standing. They had not stood in the same proximity in what felt like forever but had only been a few days. The soft scent of her vanilla shampoo wafted up to his nose. He would trade anything to bury his face in her neck and inhale deeply.

"Are you excited?" Itachi asked as he took her luggage away from Neji. "I hear that this is your first conference."

"More nervous I guess." She said with a small smile.

"Don't be. We will practice your speech on the plane."

"If anything happens, call me." Neji said stiffly and Hinata turned and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'll be fine Neji." She reassured and the brunette gently pushed her away with a blush on his cheeks. Clearly, he was easily embarrassed by public affection.

"Say goodbye to little Sasuke, Hinata. He's in a bad mood today. Maybe you can cheer him up." Itachi teased.

Hinata didn't look at him. She didn't turn in his direction. Her bangs hung low over her eyes so he couldn't even see what she was thinking. Instead, she mumbled a half-hearted goodbye and shuffled past him to her boarding gate. Neji and Itachi were too busy talking amongst themselves to notice the snub but it cut worse than waking up to an empty bed. He desired nothing more than to run after her. To stop her from leaving even if it was only for a short trip. He couldn't though. What would he even say? 'I feel weird stay here?' That sounded weak even to himself.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking towards the main entrance of the airport. He wasn't good with words but he was a man of action. He was going to get to the bottom of what was going on but why did he feel like he was losing before he had even begun?

 **…..**

 **Monday October 14 2017 4:02pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprises**

 **...**

"It's so empty." Sakura sighed as they reentered the office from a slew of meetings. "It feels kinda lonely without Hinata."

Sasuke didn't reply to her statement. Instead, he went to his desk and immediately began what might just be the most foolhardy task he'd ever undertaken. He was going to tackle this from the ground up. The Hyuuga were a wealthy family but they were hemorrhaging money. Something odd was going on with their accounts and although their stocks were no longer being toyed with it was only a matter of time before they were again. This time that was even more of a problem since the Uchiha stocks were one and the same with the Hyuuga. If he could find the leak that might make Hiashi reconsider marrying Hinata off. He wasn't sure of Hiashi's real reasoning but it more than likely had to deal with money. Money was the root of everything around here.

"Doesn't it feel lonely Sasuke? It's strange because it's been so long since we've been alone in an office together." Sakura mused and he grunted a reply. She wasn't satisfied with his response so she came around to the other side of his desk and leaned on his chair. "Ya know, in the three years I've known you I've never seen you take an interest in anyone. Why is that?"

Sasuke shrugged as he began scrolling through the quarterly earnings for the Hyuuga for the last two years. He needed access to a detailed accounting spreadsheet and that wasn't something he had access to. He actually had no idea who handled the Hyuuga finances but he knew someone who would. He glanced at his watch, it was only four in the afternoon. Neji should still be in his office. He picked his phone and an empty USB Drive and shoved both items into his pockets.

"Where are you going? You don't have any meetings this afternoon?" Sakura asked, surprised by his sudden haste.

"I have to speak with someone. Answer the phone if anyone calls." Sasuke replied as he stood up from his chair. He moved to walk away from the desk but Sakura grabbed his hand. Her hand felt so strange in comparison to Hinata's. The feeling of her hand in his from the other night still haunted him. He craved to intertwine his fingers with her's once more just to make the craving go away. He slipped his hand out of Sakura's and she her brow furrowed a bit as she cradled the rejected hand close to her chest.

"Hey, when you're done with everything today. How about we go grab a drink or something? You seem tense."

"Another time Sakura." he replied and closed the door behind him.

 **...**

 **Monday October 14 2017 4:15p**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"Hyuuga."

"Uchiha."

Sasuke and Neji stared at each other from across his desk. The Uchiha didn't know Neji very well outside of a few limited interactions but he appeared to be the most stereotypical 'Hyuuga' of the Hyuuga children he had encountered. Hinata was too soft while Hanabi was too impulsive. Neji was, for all intents and purposes, even keel in all things. The man in question leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and knitting his fingers together.

"To what do I owe this visit?" Neji asked as Sasuke approached the desk.

"I am in need of your assistance. There is no other reason that I would willingly seek you out." Sasuke replied flatly and Neji's eye twitched.

"I think you have me mistaken for Hinata, I am not a patient man. I will not put up with your attitude the way I'm sure she does."

Sasuke smirked and sank into one of the cushy gray chairs in front of Neji's desk. The brunette bristled at his lack of jurisprudence in his office.

"I have a suspicion that more is going on here than you Hyuuga are willing to let on." Sasuke said as he rested his cheek against his palm. Neji's eyes narrowed at the accusation and his lips pursed into a tight line.

"We have been nothing but transparent with you through out this entire process and you dare to come into my office when the ink is barely dry and accuse us of duplicity." Neji scoffed. "The gall of an Uchiha knows no bounds. I at least thought you were better than to peddle in conspiracies."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and tossed the USB drive that he had brought onto Neji's desk. The Hyuuga looked at the innocuous piece of black plastic suspiciously but put it into the port on his computer.

"Click on the first file." Sasuke instructed. He waited patiently as Neji's pale eyes scanned the few documents that he had been able to compile in such short notice. When he was done. Neji leaned back in his chair and regarded him skeptically but the aura around him wasn't as hostile as it was before.

"Uchiha. What do you want?" Neji asked.

'I want your cousin back' was on the tip of his tongue but he decided that it would be best to not divulge what he was really after.

"I need to get into your accounting files for the last two years or more." He said and Neji snorted.

"Why in the world would I trust you with that kind of access?"

"The last time I checked we have been turned into one and the same. Why would the left hand not know what the right is doing?"

Neji regarded him for a moment before letting out a slow even breath through his nose.

"Do not betray my trust."

 **...**

 **Tuesday October 15 2017 10:01am**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he quickly thumbed through the giant stack of documents Neji had laid on the café table before him. The Hyuuga seemed to only trust him so far as he could throw him and refused to allow him electronic access to the files. Seeing that he couldn't use a simple search function, going through these files by hand was going to be a lot more time consuming than he had anticipated. It was no matter. With Hinata away, he had plenty of time on his hands to shift through this. He let out a huff and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

"Sufficient enough for you Uchiha?" Neji asked flatly.

"It's a start."

"That is only half of the information I was able to obtain. I will go through the other half on my own. What you brought earlier indicates there is a leak somewhere in our company. We need to find where it's coming from-" Neji started but fell silent as a brunette woman approached their table.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows slightly as he watched the usually stoic man before him stiffen in his chair. He looked over at the waitress and found her to be nothing he would write home about. She had an athletic build overall, narrow hips with an average bust. There was nothing particularly graceful about her either. In fact, her mannerisms were rather... forceful. Her just placing down his coffee was done with a lot more force than necessary. Sasuke supposed that she was pretty but it was becoming more and more difficult to find other women attractive.

"French press. No cream, no sugar." She said before placing down a cup of green tea in front of Neji. "You're back again. That's the third time this week."

Sasuke smirked as an ever so faint blush dusted across Neji's cheeks. Apparently blushing easily was a hereditary trait. Neji coughed awkwardly and averted the brunette's gaze. Somehow the Hyuuga still managed to keep a straight face. The waitress opened her mouth the say something else but thought better of it and walked away. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at Neji and the man's blush immediately receded.

"The tea here is good." He defended and obstinately took a sip from his cup. The Uchiha rolled his eyes and began to read through the data presented to him. He had bigger things to focus on than who got Neji Hyuuga hot and bothered under the collar.

 **….**

 **Tuesday, October 15, 2017, 10:01 am**

 **Uchiha Headquarters**

 **Suna Division**

 **...**

"Chin up." Itachi instructed as he used two fingers to lift Hinata's chin a little higher. "Again."

"Thank you all for joining us-" Hinata started but was stopped by Itachi's rather _eccentric_ assistant.

"I don't think she should start off by saying 'Thank you.'" Kisame mused as he tapped his fingers against his chin.

"It's fine." Itachi said with a roll of his eyes.

"It's pedantic."

"Again."

"Thank you all for joining us for this..."

Hinata looked straight ahead at a random spot on the wall. Shifting her gaze every so often as Itachi had taught her so that it would look as though she were making actual eye contact with her imaginary audience. Itachi stood in front of her with his arms crossed as Kisame paced behind him, both men soaking up and analyzing her speech. Itachi had been making her practice since the moment they set foot on the plane and while his critiques were a bit harsh she knew that it was only going to make her better. They had practiced so many times now that she didn't even need her cue cards anymore. There would be a teleprompter with her speech scrolling through the screen when the time came for her to go on stage but Itachi had insisted that she commit her half of the speech to memory.

"...our hope is to find innovative solutions and collaborations that will benefit not only our companies but the people we serve. I wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors. Thank you."

When she finished talking, Kisame stopped walking and Itachi uncrossed his arms.

"W-well?" She asked nervously as the two men stared at her in silence.

"You're cute. I'll give you that." Kisame said with a smirk and Itachi shot him a rather harsh glare.

"Kisame go see if Shisui needs any help." Itachi instructed and Kisame threw back his head and laughed as he headed out the door.

"Whatever you say, boss."

As the door to the office shut behind him, Hinata allowed her shoulders to slump and her gaze to turn downward. They had not taken a break since the moment they had arrived and she felt utterly drained. While she usually enjoyed being busy her mind kept drifting down paths that it shouldn't go down. She wondered if she would ever get used to the sharp smells of Suna or if she would ever be able to drink enough to combat the ever present feeling of dehydration. She also kept wondering what Sasuke was doing at the moment. She had been so cold to him when she left. Would he hold it against her? She hoped that he did. Everything would be easier that way.

"There is something on your mind." Itachi said and Hinata shook her head. "Do you need a break?"

"No." She replied quickly despite the skeptical look in Itachi's eyes. "I can continue."

"You look like you are about to keel over."

"How can I improve my speech?"

Itachi regarded her impassively for a moment and for a brief second she regretted interrupting him.

"Your speech is fine but your words are hollow. You are unconvincing."

Hinata only nodded at his criticism. Her heart just wasn't in this speech. She had to do well though. There was no other option. While she was no longer slated to accept her father's position one day but she was still the heir apparent to everyone else. As such she had to perform well on stage. With Itachi up there with her, she doubted that she would completely fail but she wanted to pull her own weight. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to recite her speech once more but was stopped by Itachi poking her in the middle of her forehead.

"Sasuke was correct. You are stubborn." Itachi said, an almost imperceptible smirk on his lips. "Again."  
 **….**

 **Tuesday, October 15, 2017, 5:15 pm**

 **The Sundial**

 **...**

Hinata bit her bottom lip as she allowed Gaara to pull out her chair before she sat in it. They were seated right in the middle of the busy restaurant and as soon as they had walked through the doors all eyes had turned to them. It was so silent that the sound of her own breath sounded thunderous to her ears. The other occupants of the building only resumed what they were doing once they reached their table and even then she could still feel their eyes on them.

"Are you finding Suna to your liking?" Gaara asked and Hinata cast her eyes down towards the table.

She had only been here for forty-eight hours but she had yet to find a single thing that she liked about it. It was too humid, sand got in everything, and the food wasn't very agreeable to her stomach. She was not about to insult Gaara's home country though so she merely nodded her head in affirmation.

"Suna is interesting." She replied.

"Is that so?" He said and cocked his head slightly to the side. "I find it rather hot."

Hinata smiled and tried to engage Gaara in conversation as best as she could. Since he was to be her husband one day she should give this her best shot. Did her mother feel this way when she met her father? Was she this awkward and unsure of herself? With Sasuke it was much easier to be herself since... _no..._ she shouldn't go down that road. There was a man here in the flesh before her that was her future. It would only hurt to dwell on others.

"Gaara!" A loud portly man shouted from across the room. He approached their table with three of his cohorts in tow. "What a surprise to see you here!"

"Likewise." Gaara said flatly as the man eager shook his hand.

Hinata watched as Gaara was quickly enveloped in business with the men who had joined their table. Their wives had also joined the fray and were now trying to engage Hinata in conversation although she didn't have much to say. The women were all very beautiful with their tanned skin and light colored eyes. It appeared as though vibrant eyes were just a trait that many people from Suna carried although Gaara's would always take the cake. None of the women seemed to mind that they had apparently been ditched for greener pastures. Instead, they all caught up on the latest gossips in their inner circle and inquired after each others' children.

Hinata smiled as she tried to follow their fast paced conversation but after about fifteen minutes of constant banter, she found herself on autopilot. Smiling and nodding where appropriate while her brain drifted off elsewhere. A place where she actually could keep up with the conversation and actually care about what was being said. The dinner itself passed by quickly. It was only at the time that the dessert plates had been cleared that the interlopers finally took their leave. Gaara looked at her guiltily as they walked through the front doors of the restaurant.

"This was another date that did not go the way that it should." Gaara sighed as they walked down the sidewalk toward her hotel.

"It's fine." Hinata replied softly. "I was able to meet some new people."

"Hm." Gaara pondered. "Hopefully they will help make your transition to moving here in the future as smooth as possible."

Hinata nodded absently. She didn't doubt that the women she had met today would ever hesitate to drop whatever they were doing to be at her beck and call. They had already started talking about the best nannies to hire and nurseries for her to send her children to. The women did not disclose that they knew of the impending marriage contract between the Sabaku and Hyuuga but Hinata imagined that they had their suspicions. Why else would Gaara be seen out alone with her if she wasn't someone he was seriously courting?

"Your hotel is this way correct?" Gaara said pointing in the general direction of where she and Itachi were staying for the conference. "I will walk you back."

"That's okay, it isn't a far walk. I will be fine on my own." Hinata replied. She would much rather spend time alone but the look on Gaara's face made her swallow her rejection. He was just trying to be nice. She could be nice as well.

"After you." She said with a smile.

They walked together down the raucous main street of the city. Vendors hawked their wares well into dusk and children ran after each other, weaving in and out of the legs of adults. Streetlights began to light up, creating an even livelier atmosphere on an already busy street. There were so many sights and sounds that Hinata wondered how long it would take her to get adjusted to all of it. She doubted that she would be able to be as forward as so many of the women from Suna but she could try, right? Could she make herself appear bolder, more forthright? She could style her hair the way they did and wear vibrant fabrics just like these women.

 _'You shouldn't try to change yourself for some guy.'_

Her own words to Hanabi reverberated in her head and she pushed them aside. Gaara wasn't just some guy. He was the owner of the Sabaku Group and held immense influence over the country of Suna. He was a powerful man and a capable leader. He was to be her-

"Gaara?" A small voice called out and Hinata snapped out of her thoughts to see an excited woman waving to them from one of the vendor stalls. "Gaara, that is you!"

The woman quickly grabbed her purchase and bounded up to them with a smile on her face. She was a slender woman with short brown hair and skin kissed by the sun like all of the people of Suna. The woman appeared genuinely happy to see Gaara until she noticed Hinata's place at his side. All at once her face dropped from being friendly to sad in less than an instant. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears and her bottom lip quivered. The expression made Hinata want to find the nearest exit. It was as though she had been caught in the middle of a crime yet she had no idea what she had done wrong. Not knowing what to do in this sort of situation she fell back to using pleasantries to try to cut through the awkward tension.

"Hello, I'm-" Hinata started to say but the woman in front of them quickly switched her face to become impassive and gave a low bow.

"Sorry to interrupt." She mumbled. "I didn't realize you had a companion. Enjoy your evening."

When she rose from her bow she turned on her heel and skirted quickly around them. Hinata watched her leave with a furrowed brow. Who was she to Gaara? Why did she look so sad? Gaara began walking forward once more and she could no longer watch the sad woman's retreat. Her heart ached for the stranger because in her face she saw her own emotions personified. It felt like looking in a mirror.

 **….**

 **Thursday, October 16, 2017, 6:45 pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

"You weren't wrong Uchiha." Neji growled as he tossed the thick stack of paper on the small café table and ran a frustrated hand through his long hair.

Sasuke frowned as looked over the data highlighted on Neji's tablet. He had found the same leaks in his set of data in his own half of the spreadsheets. It had started off as small amounts here and there that would have probably gone unnoticed. The amount had been steadily increasing until the Hyuuga accounts were leaking like a sieve. That corresponded with the time that Hiashi had reached out to his father to join forces and restructure the Hyuuga and Uchiha assets.

Being that they were now combined the leaks had ceased but only for a short time. Already small unaccountable amounts were leaking out once more. Their merge was only a stop gap and it was going to be useless sooner rather than later. The Uchiha rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and put the tablet back on the table. His eyes were beginning to cross from staring at the numbers for so long.

"Have any idea where this money is going?" Sasuke asked and Neji shook his head.

"No idea. I will-" Neji began to explain and snorted when Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow. " _We_ will have to question everyone in the accounting department."

"Not everyone." Sasuke said with a shrug. "That will only arouse suspicion and whoever is doing it will cover their tracks."

"Then what do you propose?"

"We ask their computers."

"You're back again?" The brunette waitress interrupted as she placed coffee and tea in front of them.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as the Hyuuga seemed to lose his tongue again in the woman's presence.

"He likes the tea." Sasuke said and Neji glared at him.

"Oh." She said with a slight tone of dejection in her voice. "Is that it? Well, enjoy."

As the woman walked back to her station behind the bar, Neji watched her go intently before throwing Sasuke a death glare.

"Why did you say that?" He hissed threateningly under his breath and Sasuke cocked his head to the side, unperturbed by Neji's near murderous intentions.

"Is there another reason that you would want to keep coming here?" Sasuke asked bluntly. "If you continue insisting on coming here for the tea there are other places with better."

"Uchiha-"

"But if it's to see her," Sasuke continued, jerking his thumb in the direction of the bar. "You should do something instead of looking like a lost puppy every time she turns around."

Neji scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, unwilling to accept the advice that had been handed to him.

"Do not speak on things you do not understand Uchiha. Let's get back to what we came to do. I'd rather not spend more time in your presence than necessary."

"The feeling is mutual."

 ** _To be continued..._**


	15. I Wish You Were Ugly

**CCNote: Changes inspired by red wine and Kendrick Lamar**

 **Things that have changed- some scenes to progress the plot further along, a more straight forward path, more character development, more explanation of motives. This that haven't changed-some twists, pairings, the overall direction of this story.**

 **I understand that twists can be controversial but they will be a lot less out of the blue. Remember though, nothing will go as you predict. That's just the way I write.**

 **I also know that multiple ships are 'too much' for some people. I personally LOVE multiple pairings in one story although this story is TAME in comparison to DESERTED which was swamped in ships lol. I will not focus on side pairings too much in this fic but the ones that have already been introduced do help spice up the plot and are important. But, again, alot of focus won't be placed on them.**

 **I have taken everyone's suggestions/feedback seriously but I've gotta ask for patience. Every question you have will be answered eventually. No one will just disappear and scenarios will all tie together in the end just not with immediacy. I appreciate all of the feedback to the fullest and hope that everyone continues to help me improve!**

 **I recommend rereading this story before reading this chapter and continuing from that point. Or feel free to skip to the last scene which has the main change. Other than that, please enjoy!**

 **I Wish You Were Ugly**

 **Friday October 17 2017 7:21pm**

 **Outside Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"He's late." Neji grumbled with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sasuke looked down at his watch and squinted at its face illuminated by the street light above them. The lazy bastard should have been here fifteen minutes ago. Even though he was not voicing his disgruntlement, he was just as impatient as Neji was. They were wasting precious time waiting on him. It wasn't like they had much of a choice though. There was no one else he knew that was trustworthy enough to handle something like this. The smell of cigarettes reached them well before it's owner lazily approached them under the streetlight. Sasuke wrinkled his nose at the smell. He would have thought that Shikamaru would have kicked this nasty habit of his but by the smell of tobacco and ash that clung to his clothes informed him otherwise.

"Yo." Shikamaru greeted, an ostentatiously large black messenger bag bumping against his side. Neji and Sasuke nodded their acknowledgment to his arrival before turning to walk towards the building.

"Wait up guys!" An obnoxious voice pierced through the darkness and Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. What the hell was he doing here?

Beside him Neji tensed, fists clenched tightly by his sides.

"Uchiha." Neji growled under his breath and cut his eyes at him. Sasuke ignored the threatening look and turned around to see his oblivious blonde friend bounding up to them.

"What are you doing here dobe?" The raven haired man asked and Naruto just rolled his eyes as he put his hands on his hips.

"I can't just give you our best hacker bastard." Naruto replied.

"I'm not a hacker." Shikamaru sighed. "Do you even know what I do?"

Naruto tapped his finger against his chin as he contemplated the answer. Sasuke could literally see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to formulate a response.

"You steal emails...break into the firewalls of other governments...encrypt code..."

"Cyber-security. The word is cyber-security." Shikamaru groaned as he shifted his grip on the heavy bag on his shoulder. "Your father is going to have my ass if he finds out I'm helping you."

Naruto only grinned and threw an arm around the reluctant brunette's shoulders.

"Well, what the old man doesn't know won't hurt him eh?"

"No."

Everyone turned to look at Neji who's back was rigid as he glared at Naruto.

"This is not a field trip. This is not a game." Neji said as evenly as he could. "I could have sworn that I told you to stay far away from anything to do with my family. I let you slide during the signing but I will not put up with you in my presence tonight."

"Neji-" Naruto started but Neji grabbed the front of his shirt. He raised his fist to throw a punch but Sasuke caught his wrist. The Hyuuga tried to wrest his limb out of the Uchiha's grip but Sasuke didn't budge.

"Let me go Uchiha." Neji hissed but Sasuke shook his head.

"We don't have time for this. Punch each other's brains out later."

"What a drag." Shikamaru mumbled as he dropped the butt of his cigarette onto the asphalt and stamped it out with his foot. "I don't get what your issue is, nor do I care. What I need is as much help as I can get so it would be in your best interest Hyuuga to allow an extra set of hands on this."

Neji turned his pale eyed glare on to Shikamaru but slowly uncurled his fingers from Naruto's shirt. Sasuke let go of Neji's arm now that it appeared that a violent escalation had been averted. Naruto let out a breath of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Whew, Let's-" Naruto started to say but was immediately knocked to the ground by a swift right hook.

Neji shook his hand out, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"That was for Hinata." He said and roughly pulled Naruto up to his feet. "Let's go."

Sasuke sighed as he led the men into the building. This was going to be a long night.

 **…..**

 **Friday October 17 2017 7:21pm**

 **Sabaku Group Main Branch Building**

 **...**

Hinata's eyes scanned over her speech for what was probably the thousandth time that day. It was now time to give her joint speech with Itachi and she was beyond nervous. How did her father do this every day? He made it look so easy when he was up on stage. That feeling of effortlessness was unlikely to befall upon her since her insides felt as though they were eating each other.

She gulped as she watched the minutes slide by like sand in an hour glass. Her hands began to sweat profusely. She had run over her lines again and again but she was still afraid that she might mess up on stage with all of those eyes watching her. What if she tripped over her words or worse-tripped while walking onto the stage? She absently tightened her grip on the water bottle in her hand, the plastic crinkled loudly under her fingers.

"Come in." Itachi said as someone knocked on the door of their waiting room.

"Hello." A small feminine voice said. "I was sent by Gaara to see if you needed anything."

Hinata looked up from her paper to see the brown haired woman from before standing awkwardly in the doorway with a clipboard. Now that she was able to get a better look at her, the term woman was not an adequate descriptor. Girl would be a much more accurate turn of phrase. She couldn't be much more than a year or two older than Hanabi. Hinata watched as the girl shifted her weight awkwardly from one foot to the other as if she wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room. The girl refused to look in her direction and was only able to take fleeting glances at Itachi. She was undeniably uncomfortable and it showed. Itachi looked back at Hinata and she shook her head.

"I believe we are fine, thank you." Itachi said and the girl bowed deeply before scurrying from the room.

"Do you remember what you are going to say?" Itachi asked once the door was shut.

Hinata nodded her head. She knew her lines backward and forwards.

"What about your answers to follow-up questions?"

Again she nodded. Itachi and Kisame had made sure to grill her in every conceivable way that she might be questioned tonight by others.

"Do you remember the most important thing?"

Hinata felt her heart begin to race as she tried to rack her brain for what she might have forgotten. Her statements were to be nonbinding and concise. No promises to anyone, ever. Make eye contact. Don't smile so much-

"To breathe." Itachi said with a smirk as he poked the middle of her forehead. Hinata blushed as she rubbed the spot but still took a deep breath. Satisfied with her now taking steady breaths, Itachi crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Do not over think this Hinata." He said. "Everyone out there is already primed to like whatever it is that you and I will say. Just do it as we practiced and you will be fine."

Hinata felt the nervous twists of her stomach lessen slightly at his reassurance.

"You guys are on!" Kisame said as he poked his head into the room. The man held his thumbs up in what he thought was a reassuring gesture.

Her stomach did a death defying backflip and the uncomfortable twisting returned with a vengeance.

 **….**

 **Friday, October 17 9:25 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"Connect the last yellow wire to the third port in the back of the tower." Shikamaru instructed.

Sasuke did as he was told and watched as the dark conference room was suddenly illuminated with bright blue light. The screens from all of the laptops and tablets they had confiscated from the accounting department turned to the same string of random code as Shikamaru worked his magic.

"Impressive huh?" Naruto said and he nudged Sasuke in the arm.

Sasuke didn't respond but internally he agreed. He had imagined that they were going to have to go through all of the computers one by one to get the information they needed but this was much faster. The most difficult part was actually gathering up the devices into one room and following Shikamaru's directions. All they had to do now was sit back and let him work.

"You guys are leaking like a sieve." Shikamaru mumbled. "Personal files, passwords, unencrypted email chains. It's no wonder someone was able to get into your system."

Neji crossed his arms over his chest and stood rigid over Shikamaru's shoulder as he watched codes he couldn't possibly comprehend fly across the screen. After a long moment, the screen to the main computer stopped moving and changed to a short compiled spreadsheet showing a rather disturbing pattern that only confirmed the knowledge they already possessed. The Hyuuga stocks were being bought for enormous sums, well over market value, and then being sold for pennies on the dollar. Shikamaru clicked his tongue as he scrolled down and showed that the profits from the stocks being purchased at such high sums were not staying in the Hyuuga accounts.

"You guys are caught up in some serious money laundering. You sure it's a good idea to have the son of the Hokage and a government official here?" Shikamaru said with a smirk as he continued to go deeper into another file.

"Can you see where the money is going?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Shikamaru's snide remark.

"Not really. From what I can see it's getting transferred into several shell accounts. Taka Inc. Dynastic Corp. Gohai-"

"Wait, Taka Inc..." Sasuke grumbled. That name sounded rather familiar. "Aren't they a branch owned by the Sound Group?"

"We don't do deals with anyone with ties to the Sound." Neji said tersely. "It shouldn't be possible."

"Well, the evidence is right there. Someone in this company is allowing them to do this and is probably taking a cut too." The Uchiha countered but Neji still shook his head.

"No one would have access to this many stocks for them to be turned over so quickly and for it to go unnoticed. It's impossible."

"Can you check again to see if you can find a source?" Sasuke sighed and Shikamaru shook his head.

"This is what it is. No amount of scanning will change that."

Neji's nostrils flared at Shikamaru's rejection and opened his mouth to protest but Naruto interrupted him.

"What if it's not one person." The blonde said distantly and everyone turned to look at him. "What if it's a bunch of people working together? Like a...uh...whats the word?"

"A conspiracy." Shikamaru said sharply with a snap of his fingers. "Someone, or quite a few people are trying to take you guys down from the inside."

"This is why Uncle merged." Neji mumbled under his breath. "I don't think even he knows who did this or how extensive it is, otherwise he would have ferreted them out himself."

"Call a shareholder's meeting." Sasuke said and began unplugging all of the computers from their web of wires. "Early tomorrow morning before the international markets open for the day."

"Tomorrow is a Saturday Sasuke." Naruto said with a roll of his eyes. "I doubt any of them are going to show up."

"They will show all right. No one undermines the Hyuuga. No one." Neji growled, swiftly heading towards the door. No doubt heading straight up to his office. "You coming Uchiha?"

Sasuke smirked and stepped over the tangled wires that littered the floor to follow Neji.

"Hey! You can't just leave us here to clean up this mess!" Naruto called but Sasuke ignored him.

"Come up to the fourteenth floor when you're done dobe."

 **….**

 **Friday October 17 2017 9:25pm**

 **Sabaku Group Main Branch Building**

 **...**

"You and Itachi made serval good points in your opening address. In fact, I would like to talk with both of you since I believe you would align well-"

"Ms. Hyuuga."

"I'm interested in investing in some of your branches products. Here's my card."

"Mr. Uchiha!"

"Why has Hiashi kept such a gem locked away for so long? Shame on him!"

"Ms. Hyuuga."

Hinata smiled and nodded as she and Itachi made their rounds through the crowd after the speech. After they had dismounted from the stage and joined the masses they had been swamped with business proposals, empty flattery, and probing personal inquiries. It all blended together into one cacophonous noise that made the front of her head pound. It was all she could to give her practiced answers and look as though she wasn't overwhelmed by the attention. The petite woman took a sip from her flute of champagne, the bubbly liquid tasted sour on her tongue. She wasn't a fan of champagne but it was the strongest thing she was able to get ahold of. She glanced over at Itachi captivating a group of business men and couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy. He was such a natural at this.

"What do you think of that prediction?" An eager man with an obnoxiously bushy mustache asked.

Shaking her envy away she turned her attention back to the circle of people talking to her. She nodded where appropriate and resisted the urge to look at her watch. All of them couldn't wait to get their grubby hands on a piece of Hyuuga Enterprise and saw her fresh face as their way in. Neji must have been a rather tough negotiator during these things causing them to assume that she would be easier to deal with. She might have a gentler touch than her cousin but she could smell a rotten deal from a mile away. No matter how much money they promised to throw her way she wasn't going to touch any of it with a ten-foot pole.

"Excuse me for a moment but I must cut in." A deep velvety voice said from behind her a shiver ran down her spine. Gaara . She might not be comfortable with the business men and women vying for her attention but she would rather be here than alone with Gaara. At least with these people, she knew just what to say. With Gaara, her tongue always got tied and she became hyper aware of her surroundings.

"Oh! Mr. Sabaku of course!"

"Yes, please, we were just leaving!"

Gaara's intimidating presence was enough to send them all scattering, tripping over themselves as they tried to out bow each other. With a small frown at their antics, Hinata raised her champagne flute to her lips to find it empty. Next to her Gaara chuckled, took her depleted glass, and handed her a new one. She blushed as their fingertips brushed against each other.

"Thank you." She said softly and Gaara nodded.

The two of them stood awkwardly next to each other, mentally grabbing at straws to find a topic to talk about. Hinata looked down at her shoes and tried to will herself to not gulp down her entire glass of champagne. It would certainly give her an excuse to go get more but she thought better of it. Gaara shoved his free hand in his pocket and cleared his throat.

"Your speech with Itachi was good." He said and Hinata gave him a small smile.

"It was nothing! I...I'm glad you liked it."

"It was much better than Kankuro's." Gaara said with a frown. "We should never let him get on stage for these things."

Hinata's smile widened at Gaara's attempt at humor. Kanukro was the worst candidate to put on stage to represent Sabaku group but he was the best option they had since their sister Temari was out of town. Gaara could have gotten on stage to deliver the speech himself but he was notorious for being a more behind the scenes player.

"He wasn't so bad." She said trying to excuse the verbal tangent Kankuro had gone down. Gaara frowned.

"He was terrible."

Hinata shook her head and smiled. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone moving oddly through the crowd, swaying from side to side. Gaara noticed it as well and his brows knitted together with frustration as he observed the way people jumped out of the drunk person's way. Without a word he left Hinata's side and went to handle the situation. Hinata looked to her left and right, noticing the people eyeing her sudden availability and gulped. She was a goner without Itachi or Gaara by her side. Without a second of hesitation, she followed the way Gaara had gone into the crowd.

Hinata was surprised by how quickly he was able to move through the masses of people but just kept her eyes focused on his crop of red hair. Ahead of him, the brown haired girl from before began ascending the stairs with a green bottle in one hand and the other clutching the banister. It didn't take long for Gaara to catch up her. He grabbed her wrist and practically dragged her the rest of the way up the stairs. Hinata felt her heart begin to pound in her chest as she watched them disappear down the hall and into an empty conference room. Should she follow them? Wasn't spying on others unbecoming of a Hyuuga?

"Ms. Hyuuga-" she heard someone call behind her and she shivered.

Just the thought of yet another person trying to engage her in pointless conversation made her cringe. Pretending to have not heard their call she climbed the staircase and disappeared down the path that Gaara had gone. The hallway was deserted but the sound of muffled voices and rustling led her to the room they had taken up residence in. The door was ajar, giving her a good view of Gaara snatching the green bottle out of her hand and placing it on the conference room table. The girl huffed and tried to reach for it unsuccessfully.

"Stop." Gaara said sternly.

"Y-y-you can't tell me 'hic' what to do!" The girl slurred.

"Why are you drinking Matsuri?" Gaara asked and the girl named Matsuri crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know 'hic' you haven't nooooticed but, I'm not 'hic' a little girl anymore." She retorted. "I can drink if I want to!"

"You may have come of age but you are behaving like a child. I am very disappointed in your behavior this evening."

"If you didn't treat me like a child maybe I wouldn't act like one!"

Matsuri's hands flew over her mouth as words she clearly didn't intend to say flew out. Gaara's fists clenched at his sides and he took a step closer to the brunette. Hinata noticed how tense his broad shoulders were as he towered over the girl. The Hyuuga couldn't see his face but she wouldn't want to be on the end of whatever malice was in his eyes at the moment.

"Gaara, I'm sorry! I-I-"

"Your performance has been slipping all month. Your thoughts are no longer on your duties and I am unable to rely on you for the simplest of tasks. If this continues you will not have to worry about my perceived treatment." Gaara said blankly. "Stay in here until the event is over. Kankuro will likely come to collect you at that time."

Matsuri lowered her head and nodded as Gaara turned on his heel to leave. Hinata slipped further down the dark hallway to avoid being caught eavesdropping by Gaara. The angry aura that rolled off of him was not something she wanted to experience right now. The redhead yanked open the conference room door and marched out. Hinata placed a hand over her erratically beating heart and held her breath. Gaara paused outside of the door but did not turn his head in her direction. With bated breath, she waited until he finally made his way in the opposite direction and back down to the jovial congregation below. Hinata wasn't certain what to make of the situation between her future husband and this strange girl in his life. They certainly weren't lovers if Gaara's detached words were anything to go by. The girl's reaction to Gaara's behavior gave her pause though.

She sounded so hurt and while Hinata knew that she shouldn't, she couldn't help but feel sympathy towards her. On the other side of the wall, she heard faint sniffles that reminded her so much of Hanabi. The thought of her sister crying alone somewhere made her heart ache. Did this girl have someone who cared about her feelings too? How would they feel knowing that she was all alone crying? Hinata bit her lip. She knew that she couldn't just leave the girl like this. She tentatively pushed open the door and the girl looked up expectantly, her dark eyes full of unshed tears. When she saw Hinata she tensed and roughly rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. She looked so small. So much younger than she tried to project herself to be. Seeing her like this made a lump rise in her throat but her resolve only strengthened.

"Ms. Hyuuga!" She stammered as she dried her face. "A-are you lost?"

"No." Hinata replied softly as she walked further into the conference room. She noticed the green champagne bottle still residing on the edge of the conference room table.

"W-w-why are y-you-"

"I heard you crying." Hinata said simply with a shrug of her shoulders and unwrapped the gold foil of the champagne bottle.

"I...I'm not." Matsuri said earnestly. "I'm heading back down now!"

Hinata sighed and looked at the champagne bottle forlornly before glancing at Matsuri. The girl was shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot and refused yet again to make eye contact with her.

"That's a shame. I'll have to drink alone"

The girl watched her anxiously as she took one of the glasses meant for water and filled it up with light, bubbly liquid. She didn't make any more moves to leave though so Hinata took that as a good sign. She poured another glass for herself before taking a seat in one of the leather conference chairs. As she took a long sip from her glass Matsuri continued to look at her as though she wasn't sure if she was a threat or not. The apprehensive look on her face was so similar to Hanabi's that it made Hinata smile. Matsuri didn't take too kindly to that and crossed her arms over her chest indignantly which only made Hinata's smile grow wider.

"Did you 'hic' come here to laugh at me?" Matsuri grumbled and Hinata shook her head.

"No." Hinata replied softly "You just remind me of my little sister is all. "

"Oh." She mumbled as she took a seat next to Hinata. The brunette eyed the glass of champagne in front of her but didn't dare to touch it.

"What's your name?" Hinata asked even though she already knew. Matsuri stood up with a blush on her cheeks as she bowed.

"I-I-I've been so rude!" She stammered. "My name is Matsuri."

"Matsuri...thats a nice name." Hinata mused absently as she took another sip of champagne.

Matsuri's blush deepened and she turned away from Hinata to finally drink from her untouched glass. She chugged down the champagne until it was empty and Hinata refilled it again. The brunette looked at her skeptically for a moment but sat back down in her chair and nursed her drink at a much slower pace. Hinata didn't mind that they were sitting in silence in a dark conference room, it was much better than rubbing elbows with the people down stairs.

"You're so pretty." Matsuri said gloomily and this time it was Hinata's turn to blush. "I didn't think you would be this pretty."

"Um thank you?" Hinata replied, not sure whether to take the statement as a compliment or an insult. Matsuri slumped over and laid her head down on the table.

"I have been watching you all night and it's not fair." She mumbled. "You're so pretty Gaara can't take his eyes off of you. Even when he's talking to other people he's looking at you."

Hinata lowered her eyes to the table guiltily. She had no idea Gaara had been watching her in that way. He was probably looking for her right now as well since he had left her so suddenly. Matsuri sniffled next to her drawing Hinata's attention back to her.

"How long have you worked for Sabaku Group?" Hinata asked in an attempt to steer the conversation into more neutral territory.

"I've been apart of Sabaku practically most of my life." She moodily. "My parents used to be prominent shareholders and when they died the Sabaku family took care of me. I'm supposed to be assisting Gaara for a year so that I can pick up where they left off but I can't do anything right anymore."

Hinata scooted closer and patted Matsuri's back as the girl's shoulders began to shake.

"Don't cry!" Hinata said "Gaara was just frustrated when he said those things earlier!"

Matsuri's head popped up instantly, brown eyes wide with shock and mouth agape. Hinata blushed as she realized she had just admitted to eavesdropping in on their private conversation from earlier.

"Oh my god you heard us!" Matsuri groaned and cover her eyes with her hands.

"Not really." Hinata lied but it sounded unconvincing to her own ears. "Please don't cry."

The brunette only sighed and took a big gulp of the champagne in front of her, emptying the glass for the second time.

"Everyone used to say that I was so mature for my age but now I just can't get my emotions under control anymore. Every time I'm around him I can't think of anything else or do anything else. I forget everything I'm supposed to be doing. I'm just an incompetent burden to him."

Hinata felt her stomach clench as she listened intently to Matsuri's drunken admission. Without a doubt, she was in love with Gaara although it appeared to be a more one sided affair. Matsuri's eyes began to droop as she laid her head back down on the table. It wouldn't be too long before sleep finally took over.

"When I saw the drafts for the contract I kept hoping that there would be something wrong with you. That Gaara wouldn't like you. I hoped that you would be mean or bossy or stupid but you're not. You're so 'hic' pretty...I wish you were ugly..."

 **…...**

 **Friday October 17 2017 11:58pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"God Sasuke how long are you going to keep me here?" Naruto groaned and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Until we finish the fucking list." He said through clenched teeth. He understood that Naruto was tired. Heck, Shikamaru was even passed out on the office couch and the Uchiha could see the bags beginning to form around Neji's eyes as he too struggled to stay awake.

"Fine, fine." Naruto huffed as he dragged a tired hand down his face. "Who's next?"

"Riku Kobayashi." Neji said.

"Currently engaged in an affair with the head of the economic policy development. It's been going on for roughly three years. Their wives have no idea."

"Daichi Nakamura." Sasuke said, typing away furiously on his computer.

"Recently entangled with the justice department for an illegal gambling ring."

"Mari Tokai."

"Having an affair with the defense minister."

Sasuke shook his head as he continued to record all of the rather salacious details that Naruto was dishing out. How the man knew all of these private details was beyond him but somehow people trusted the blonde to keep their secrets. Who would believe the dead-last son of the Hokage anyway? Unfortunately for the Hyuuga shareholders, Sasuke did believe him. Naruto was many things but he was not a good liar. When they finally finished with the last name on the list, Sasuke pressed print and the sound of the printer working replaced Naruto's gossip news reel.

"What use is this information? Blackmail?" Naruto yawned. Sasuke removed one of the finished documents from the printer and shrugged.

"In a way." He replied.

Normally Sasuke didn't peddle in the petty secrets of others but they needed leverage. There was more than one person laundering money through the Hyuuga. While most of the people involved would likely keep quiet there was always a weak link. These 'scandals' that Naruto spoke of were likely only the tip of the iceberg for these people. If they thought they had more dirt on them than they were willing to risk getting out, it would only be a matter of time before they caved.

Hopefully, that would be sooner rather than later. Earlier, while he had been opening a blank document to begin typing on Neji's computer, he noticed a tab opened with 'Sabaku' as its title. He knew that he shouldn't go through Neji's private files but his curiosity got the better of him and he opened it. It turned out to be a draft of Hinata's marriage contract. The contents had made his blood boil and it was all he could do to not immediately delete the document.

"You owe me for this bastard." Naruto grumbled before immediately passing out in his chair.

 **….**

 **Friday October 17 2017 10:56pm**

 **Sabaku Group Main Branch Building**

 **...**

"I'm a terrible person." Hinata drunkenly muttered to herself as she slowly descended the stairs.

As Hinata watched Matsuri sleep peacefully she was increasingly consumed with guilt and anxiety. She was here to fulfill her role in her family by tying herself to Gaara. It is what her family wants. This was her duty. This was supposed to be the right thing to do but why did it feel so wrong? She reached for the bottle of champagne in hopes that she too might be able to fall asleep and forget about the tangled web she was weaving at the behest of her father and for the sake of her sister.

By the time she had finished off the bottle of champagne on her own Kankuro had, in fact, come to collect an unconscious Matsuri as Gaara had promised. She made the man swear not to tell Gaara that she had been in the conference room but it was unlikely that he would keep this to himself. It didn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things.

At the last step, she almost fell but was able to steady herself by clutching the banister. It wouldn't do to have everyone see her fall on her face. She smoothed down the front of her black dress, took a deep breath, and hoped she didn't look as drunk as she felt. She took a few shaky steps forward, keeping her head held high but still avoiding eye contact with almost everyone. She felt someone brush against her shoulder and she jumped back in surprise. The motion proved the be too much for her to handle in heels and she felt herself falling backward. Fortunately, the person who had bumped into her grabbed her elbow and kept her steady on her feet. Hinata looked up sheepishly at the person who caught her and blushed deeply when she saw Gaara's green eyes staring back at her.

"Thank you." Hinata mumbled as she tried to remove herself from his embrace but he held her tight.

"I have been looking for you." He said simply. Hinata blushed and bit her lower lip, of course he had been looking for her. Unfortunately, she didn't want to see him right now. She didn't want to see anyone.

"I...I'm sorry to inconvenience you Gaara." She said as apologetically as she could. "However I think I will be leaving for the night. I'm... a little tired."

Gaara didn't seem suspicious of her recusal but he didn't let her go either. Instead, his hand moved from her elbow to the small of her back. Hinata tensed, the only person who touched her there was Sasuke. _Sasuke._ The thought of him made heat instantly rush through her body. All around her she began to hear the not so secret whispers of the guests that were near them. The name on everyone's lips was not that of the youngest Uchiha. The color drained from her face as she glanced up at Gaara who had completely misinterpreted her body's reaction to his touch. There was an awkward blush on his cheeks and his bright eyes had darkened.

"I will bring you to your hotel." He mumbled under his breath and Hinata was so embarrassed that all she could do was follow his lead.

She kept her eyes lowered as the crowd parted for them, giving wide breadth for everyone to witness their departure. Women gave her scathing side eyes while their husbands grumbled out on a missed opportunity for their own families. Without realizing it, Gaara had declared to everyone that she was his with but a simple gesture. She _was_ his but the thought made her wish for the floor to swallow her whole. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an almost imperceptible shift in the crowd that made her look up fully. Itachi stared at her, his dark eyes piercing straight through her and narrowing at Gaara's hand on her waist. His expression was so similar to Sasuke's that she wanted nothing more than to break away from Gaara and hide her face. She wanted to declare that everyone was wrong. That it wasn't what they thought but the words caught in her throat because that would be a lie. It was exactly what they thought. Gaara Sabaku, the most eligible bachelor in Suna had chosen to take an interest in Hinata Hyuuga the heir apparent for one of the most powerful families in Konoha. With that kind of combination, it was much too easy to draw a clear line of intent between them.

When they finally emerged from the building, Hinata sucked in a deep breath and willed her skin to cease burning. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind from the noxious mix of emotions that she was feeling. Guilt for being unable to return Gaara's budding feelings for her. Sadness for Matsuri's unrequited affection for Gaara. Confliction for the hurt that she was clearly causing others in her family's name and the nagging sense of longing that had not left her heart since the night of the gala. Gaara's personal driver pulled up right next to them and Hinata allowed him to help her into the car. She could do this. She had to do this.

The city whizzed past them but all Hinata could focus on was his hand on her knee. This was nothing like anything she had experienced with Sasuke. Gaara's hand wasn't warm like _his_. His fingers didn't trace lazy circles the way _he_ did. His touch didn't send the same spark through her body like _him_. The Hyuuga tried to shake her head free of these comparisons, it wasn't right or fair to Gaara. Hinata opened her eyes, removed his hand from her knee, and held his hand instead. Gaara Sabaku was to be her future, _not_ Sasuke Uchiha.

They reached the hotel with minimal hindrance since it was so late at night. Even though she had claimed that she was well enough to make it up to her room on her own, Gaara insisted that he take her the entire way. They stood in the elevator awkwardly, neither one of them sure of what to do in such an enclosed space. Why was she on edge? With time she would become more relaxed right? Hinata's heart jumped in her chest when the elevator dinged and the metal doors slowly slid open. Each step to her room was more difficult than the last and all of the alcohol she had previously drunk was not helping matters. Her head was swimming and if she didn't lay down soon it was only going to get worse.

"This is your room correct?" Gaara said, pensively looking at the three silver numbers in front of them. Hinata blushed and nodded her head slowly.

"Yes." She said softly. "Thank you for escorting me. I will-"

"You are leaving tomorrow." Gaara interrupted.

"Y-yes."

Gaara frowned slightly, as though trying to find the right words to say. His hand moved from her waist to the door behind her head.

 _Family above all else..._

The warmth of his breath caressed her face as he leaned closer to her. Her own breathing became much more shallow with him in such close proximity. At this distance, could he hear her treacherous heart beat?

 _Duty to the cause..._

"I know that Konoha is your home but..." He said gently, his other hand coming up to trace her bottom lip with his thumb. "I hope you grow to consider Suna a home as well."

Hinata closed her eyes, unable to return his intense gaze. His nose brushed against hers as he closed the remaining distance between them.

 _Honor what is right..._

Where was the spark? That night she and Sasuke had kissed on the bridge, it felt as though her entire body had been electrified. Every kiss after that made her finger tips tingle and her body reacted to him in ways that she had never previously thought possible. With Gaara there was nothing. Sasuke must have broken her. There had to be something wrong with her. Her lips moved in conjunction with his, vainly hoping to create some sort of attraction and return the interest Gaara was trying to convey. Why? _Why_ couldn't she do it? Sasuke's smirking face popped up in her mind's eye and she wanted nothing more than to smack that smug expression off of his face. To demand that he reverse whatever spell he had put her under. To kiss his lips and feel his hands instead...

"Hinata!" A familiar voice called casually from down the hall. "I'm glad that I ran into you before you went to bed!"

Her eye's fluttered open in surprise as Gaara reluctantly took a step back from her, a faint blush on his cheeks. Seeing him like that only made her guilty heart twist more. Itachi walked calmly up to them with Kisame in tow, entirely unbothered by the scene he had just walked in on. His smile was tight and his dark eyes scanned over the two of them without any indication of his true feelings. Kisame, on the other hand, was about to explode with laughter.

"K-Kisame. Itachi..."

"We have a few things to go over tonight before we leave in the morning. If you would excuse us."

Gaara awkwardly cleared his throat but nodded his head at Itachi's intrusion. With a mumbled goodbye he was gone. Itachi's dark eyes watched him go with that same emotionless glint. When the elevator doors closed behind him, Kisame exploded into laughter but the two ravens did not share his humorous spirit. Itachi held out his hand to Hinata and tilted his head slightly in the direction to his own room.

"We have much to discuss."

 ** _To be continued..._**

 ** _CCNote: Since this is a revised chapter please leave a review and tell me what you think!_**


	16. Mine

**CCNote : Do you wanna know who I love the most? ItaHina fans. You guys rock lol! While ItaHina won't be a huge focus this story I will be thinking up an ItaHina storyline after this story is complete. If you wanna throw some ideas my way to help inspire me, I'd love that!**

 **Most of this chapter remains the same as the original but the first scene, of course, has to change. The last scene has also been tweeked as well. I hope you enjoy it. Okay, on with the REVISED chapter!**

 **Mine**

 **Saturday, October 18, 2017, 1:01 am**

 **Gobi Hotel**

 **…..**

"I think that's about it." Kisame said as he tossed his notebook on the coffee table.

Hinata _hoped_ that was it. Her eyes felt incredibly heavy and dry. She needed to sleep but Itachi wouldn't let her. There were many smaller companies looking for the newly minted Hyuuga-Uchiha merge to invest in them and would require a yes or no answer soon. Of course, they could have gone through the details at a more reasonable hour but it was quickly becoming apparent that Itachi was a workaholic. Or a masochist. Hinata rubbed her right eye with the back of her hand and tried to stifle a yawn, at least Itachi had let her borrow one of his shirts to wear instead of making her stay in her uncomfortable dress.

"It looks like the young one over here is getting sleepy, Itachi." Kisame snickered. "You should let her rest."

"N-no! I'm fine, really" She said, furiously shaking her head. She didn't want Itachi to think she was a slacker, especially after seeing her kiss Gaara. If she had the energy to kiss, she had the energy to work. She glanced over at Itachi who had been leaning against the window sill, dark eyes glued to his tablet.

"Will you bring up some coffee? I believe there is a twenty-four-hour café just down the block." Itachi said without looking up and Kisame rolled his eyes.

"Suuure...coffee."

When the hotel suite's room closed behind him, Itachi finally looked up at her. His dark eyes were so intense, so familiar, that she couldn't keep his gaze. Instead, she began fiddling with a loose thread on the edge of her borrowed black v-neck.

"What is your relationship with Sabaku?" He asked, his tone tense. Hinata shivered slightly and bit her bottom. Itachi always spoke gently to her.

"He...he is to be my...my fiance." Hinata said, trying to stamp down the guilt and revulsion that bubbled up with the admission.

"Fiance?"

"Yes." She confirmed again with a slow nod of her head. "When the paperwork is approved."

Itachi let out a long even breath through his nose and walked over to where she sat on the couch.

"Does my brother know?" He asked and Hinata looked up from her lap in surprise.

"W-what?"

"Sasuke. Have you told him?" He reiterated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Hinata pushed some of her hair behind her ear but didn't look away this time.

"There is nothing to tell." She said. "We aren't together."

Itachi scoffed at her statement.

"Could have fooled me."

Hinata blushed as her counterpart sat down next to her. Had they really been that obvious that Itachi had picked up on what they were doing? If Itachi knew, who else did? She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them. Even though she wanted to feel ashamed for her irresponsible actions she couldn't. What she and Sasuke had shared over the last couple of months was special. What made her sad was knowing that it all had to end. To her surprise, Itachi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her curled body into his side. At first, her heart beat quickened but eventually slowed as a warm silence wrapped around them.

"Sasuke is very important to me." Itachi said and Hinata breathed a sigh of relief as his tone had finally returned to the gentle one she was used to. "He is selfish, obstinate, and relentless. He has always been a brat and I'm certain that will not change no matter how old he gets."

Hinata giggled sleepily at Itachi's words which all rang true. Sasuke was _indeed_ a brat. Itachi poked her gently in the middle of her forehead.

"No laughing." He teased. "If I recall, Hanabi is the exact same way. Such is the curse of being a younger sibling."

Itachi's fingers absently threaded themselves through her hair, massaging her scalp and making her eyelids grow heavy.

"Since we have returned to Konoha, I've seen him smile more often. Laugh a little easier. Focus a little harder. It's a change that could only be attributed to a positive influence. Sasuke doesn't change easily but I think you are having an impact on him."

Listening to Itachi speak felt far away like a dream she couldn't quite understand. Involuntarily her shoulders relaxed and her eyes finally closed. The events of the day had finally caught up with her body and all she could do was sink further into Itachi's warmth. If she just rested her eyes for a moment that might give her enough energy to resume working when Kisame returned. She sighed contentedly. Just for a moment. Only a moment. Quickly she descended into the comforting embrace of sleep, Itachi's voice a low incomprehensible hum in the background of her mind...

"Right now, this is the happiest I have seen Sasuke in a long time. I would do anything to make sure he stayed happy." He mumbled, pressing his nose against her temple for the briefest of moments.

"I would even give him you."

"You are getting soft, Uchiha." Kisame smirked from the doorway of the suite, a tray of paper coffee cups in his possession.

"Perhaps." The man replied simply.

He picked up the unconcious Hyuuga in his arms, surprised when her small hand clutched the front of his shirt when he stood up. He looked down at the sleeping woman he carried into the bedroom of his suite. Her long black lashes kissed her pale cheeks, for the first time since they had arrived in Suna she actually looked at ease. As he laid her down on the large bed, she shivered from the loss of his body warmth. Her once relaxed brow furrowed and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Itachi wiped the moisture away with his thumb and she relaxed once again. The small woman let out a shaky breath as she settled back down.

"Sasuke." she whispered faintly making Itachi pause from covering her with the duvet. "Sasuke...I'm sorry..."

 **….**

 **Saturday October 18 2017 7:05am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **….**

Sasuke and Neji sat side by side as they regarded the shareholders of Hyuuga Enterprise. The men and women grumbled amongst themselves at being drawn out of bed so early in the morning without much notice. They had their own lavish plans to attend to and none of the included being at the beck and call of the brats of the Hyuuga and Uchiha families. Sasuke could care less what they thought.

He glanced down at his watch as the last shareholder took their seat. Hinata and Itachi would be returning to Konoha in a few hours. Despite her cold shoulder the last time she was here, he was still anxious to see her again. To touch her again. This time he was not letting her get away. As the door to the conference room closed, he and Neji stood up and the shareholders muted their grumblings. A hush fell over the room.

"Thank you all for joining us on such short notice." Neji said stiffly. "We apologize for the inconvenience."

"Is there an emergency Neji? I in no way mean to offend you but this is odd since Hiashi is the one who usually calls these meetings." An older woman asked as she warily eyed Sasuke. Everyone knew that he wasn't supposed to be there.

"This is a matter that has been brought to my attention by our new partner." Neji said with a small wave of his hand to Sasuke to show his support of his presence in the room. The brunette stiffly sat down in his seat to allow Sasuke to have the floor.

"There is a traitor among you." Sasuke said coolly and the occupants in the room narrowed their eyes at him. As far as they could see he was the one that did not belong. The woman who had addressed Neji earlier folded her arms over her chest.

"I believe that I speak for everyone here that we are all loyal to this company Uchiha. Some of us have seen its leader change several times. From generation to generation, through it all we have stood by this company." She said as politely as she could but there was an edge to her tone. "While we have...agreed to Hiashi's decision to merge with the Uchiha you have not been here long enough to question our loyalty."

Around the room the shareholders muttered to themselves and shifted to sit a little taller in their seats, bolstered by the older woman's words. Sasuke was unbothered by this reaction. It was to be expected that they react in such a way to his accusation.

"You are correct. I have not been amongst you for long. However, loyalty is rather scare at the moment." Sasuke replied blandly. "I highly doubt that any of you actually know the definition of loyalty when money is waved under your nose."

"Neji," a small man at the end of the table piped up. "We are all very busy people. I would have thought that you respected our time more than to allow an interloper into our midst and make wild accusations-"

Neji held up his hand and the man demurred slightly into silence.

"I will not keep you here long. You have an easy decision to make. In front of you is some information that you may find interesting."

The shareholders looked down at the innocuous manila envelopes in front of them. Sasuke smirked as the members muttered to each other unsure of whether to take the bait or not. Eventually the sound of papers rustling filled the room. He watched with amusement as eyes widened and faces turned red. He half expected them to explode but the Hyuuga handled things differently. Having the threat of their dirty laundry right there in front of them caused them to close into themselves. He could see the gears whirring in their heads as they tried to predict his next move so that they could counter him. Unfortunately they wouldn't have that option today.

"Many of you have families I assume you care about. Legacies that up to this point have remained clean. I assume you would like to keep it that way." Sasuke said, making eye contact with each and every person in the room. The malice behind their eyes only further served to fuel his confidence.

"You have only two options. Either sell your shares to us and leave without consequence or you can refuse. If you choose to refuse, this information will go public. Some of you have assets that can be seized once this information gets out. Some of you have cases currently tied up in courts that will surely only aid your opponents. Others will likely have people that are close to them arrested..."

"Neji!" The woman from earlier shouted as she stood up from her seat, her face drained of all its color. "You cannot allow something like this to happen. Using these kinds of threats is blackmail, that is just as illegal as anything you might have pinned on us. If Hiashi heard about this-"

"If my Uncle handled this you would not have the option to leave quietly." Neji replied, unfazed by her words.

Sasuke smirked as the woman sat back down in her seat and stared lifelessly at the pandora's box in front of her. He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the other shocked faces in the room.

"So what will it be?" He said and what happened next surprised even him.

The Hyuuga shareholders did in fact explode. Papers were thrown across the table as people older than his father began to point fingers at each other, accusing their neighbors of leaking the crimes the manila envelopes held. It was a rather unfortunate scene since many of the secrets they had unearthed were of the shareholders backstabbing each other.

With Shikamaru and Naruto's assistance they had been able to find things that these people would never want to see the light of day. The Hyuuga always looked so perfect on the outside but underneath the shiny veneer, many of them were rotten. Sasuke and Neji did nothing to quell the civil dispute in front of them. In the end they knew that they would get what they wanted. The shareholders truly only had one option. Submission. It didn't matter how loudly they fought amongst each other or how much they tried to persuade them to reconsider their terms. In the end they would all yield and he would be one step closer to getting what was his. The thought of Hinata at his side once more allowed him the patience he needed to get through the rest of the meeting.

 **…..**

 **Saturday October 18 2017 5:15pm**

 **Konoha International Airport**

 **…..**

"Sasuke I have returned to you!" Itachi called out as soon as they exited their boarding terminal.

Hinata felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest as he looked up from his cell phone at them. He placed his phone in his pocket and began to walk quickly in their direction. Inwardly she started to panic.

"Have you missed us?" Itachi asked when Sasuke had gotten close enough to them.

"Hyuuga." He said, completely ignoring his brother's question as he looked her up and down.

"That answers that question." Itachi mumbled under his breath and Hinata's lips twitched with amusement.

"S-sasuke." Hinata greeted nervously, his name felt warm on her tongue and she noticed a familiar flash of longing in his eyes when she said it.

She stood there frozen in place by his gaze, unsure of what to do or say. Part of her itched to wrap her arms around his waist while a larger faction wanted nothing more than to run away. She didn't have a chance to decide what to do since a body slammed into her side nearly toppling her over.

"Hinata! You're back!" Hanabi said as she squeezed Hinata tightly.

"Hanabi!" Hinata gasped as she tried to steady herself from the surprise attack. Behind Hanabi she saw Neji trying to weave through the crowd to get to them. Hanabi must have ditched him in her excitement.

"I'm so glad that you're back. Never leave me with Neji and Father again!" She pouted as she released Hinata from a bone crushing hug.

Hinata blushed at her sister's public display of affection but smiled nonetheless. Itachi placed a heavy hand on her head causing her to turn her attention to the Uchiha brothers. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sasuke tense up at the gesture.

"We will see you Monday." He said and Hinata nodded. Itachi then walked away with a rather reluctant Sasuke in tow. Hinata watched them leave as well with a heavy feeling in her heart.

 **…..**

 **Monday October 20 2017 5:24am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **…..**

Hinata sighed as she paused outside of the door to her office. Her hand rested on the door knob but she couldn't bring herself to open it. Her legs felt like they were made of cement and her heart refused to stop beating so erratically. What should she say when she saw him? 'Good morning, I'm getting married?' That didn't sound good at all. She pressed her forehead against the cold wooden door and squeezed her eyes closed.

"What are you doing, Hyuuga?" A smooth voice said from behind her, their warm breath caressing the back of her neck.

Hinata jumped in surprise and spun around. Sasuke smirked at her and took a step closer. Hinata pressed her back against the door to get space between them but it only made him come closer. Her hand frantically felt around on the wood for the doorknob.

"We need to talk." He said as reached behind her and opened the door with ease.

Hinata swallowed thickly as he led her into their empty office, cut on the lights, and locked the door behind them. She stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"You have been avoiding me since the signing." He said blankly and Hinata stared down at the floor.

"Would you like to tell me why?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip. The band-aid had to come off at some point. Soon her father and Gaara would want to go public to make their relationship official. It would be better if Sasuke heard the news from her than from a tabloid or by word of mouth.

"We can't do the things we were doing before." She said, keeping her voice as even as she could.

"What things?" Sasuke asked as he took a step closer and placed a hand on her cheek to make her look up at him. She unconsciously leaned into the warmth of his palm.

"Working? Talking? Drinking? Kissing? Fucking? I'm afraid you will have to be more specific."

"All of it." She answered softly. "Sasuke, we can't do this anymore."

"What is this?"

Hinata felt her eyes begin to burn with unshed tears as his thumb caressed her cheek. She took a step back from him.

"You can't touch me anymore. Or kiss me. Or sleep with...me." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I already know about the marriage contract." He interrupted as though he were telling her about the weather.

How long had he known? How did he even find out? Hinata looked up at him with wide eyes as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He was looking away from her with a furrowed brow as though it pained him to say the words out loud. Hinata wanted nothing more than reach out and smooth the lines on his face away but kept her feet firmly planted. She squared her shoulders back and tried to look more confident than she felt.

"Yes. Gaara and I have agreed to get married." She said and Sasuke's eyes flared with anger.

"Agreed? Agreed? You are being used as a pawn and you call that an agreement? You are just going to agree to be bartered off?"

Hinata crossed her arms over her chest at his accusation, her own temper and frustration rising with his.

"I know what I am getting myself into. Gaara is kind and has the potential to be a good partner. Unlike you, he could actually come to care about me one day!"

"You don't think I care about you?" Sasuke asked, his voice dangerously low and eyes narrowed.

Hinata stood her ground, unintimidated by the way he towered above her. She knew that he cared for her on some level but she had to end this. It would only hurt more the longer they stood on uncertain ground. Sasuke may be upset with her now but he could easily replace her. The thought of him caring for another woman pierced through her, making her grimace outwardly. She was replaceable.

 _Replaceable_.

"I am replaceable. You are only interested in sleeping with me. That is all you want. I'm sure one of your subordinates will be more than happy to take my place in your-"

Sasuke cut her off by firmly pressing his lips against hers and tangling his fingers in her hair. As his mouth moved against hers, she could feel all of his greed and anger vibrating through her. Underneath there was an edge of need and hurt that he was trying to cover up but she could feel it as well. It was all too much. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away slightly. His hands were still tangled in her hair as he looked down at her.

"Do not assume that you know what I want. You are not replaceable to me."

"Then what do you want?" she countered as she clutched the front of his shirt. Her heart pounding in anticipation with what he might say. "What am I to you?"

"I want what is mine. You are mine."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **Don't forget to review this REVISED chapter! Until next time!**


	17. Yours

**CCNote: Thank you so much for all of the support! Please enjoy this new chapter! Don't forget to leave a review at the end! **

**Point of clarification: The only ones who knew about Hinata's relationship to Naruto among her circle were her family members and Tenten who at the time was dating Neji and enmeshed in the daily lives of the Hyuuga. Sakura and Ino are blabber mouths (honestly) so neither one of them were let in on** _ **who**_ **she was dating, just that she had a boyfriend.**

 **Other than that, please enjoy and tell me what you think in the reviews!**

 **Yours**

 **Tuesday, October 21, 2017, 11:48 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

 _"I want what is mine. You are mine."_

Did she always bite her lip like that when she was lost in thought? If she kept doing that she was going to break the skin and the image of her bleeding for any reason was unsettling for him.

"Here's the data report from accounting and here's the one from marketing." Sakura said, placing the respective documents in front of him.

Sasuke raised the lavender mug to his mouth, the smooth and bitter taste of coffee slipping past his lips and down his throat. He could have bought his own mug by now. Thinking about it, he probably _should_ have done so but coffee just tasted better in this one.

"Oh, and HR has some complaints that have recently been filed that you should probably look over." His assistant clicked her tongue with a shake of her pink head. "The harpies are at it _again."_

When the small woman stopped biting her lips he relaxed, enjoying how full and red they looked from her nervous habit. What had she been thinking so hard about? While it was always easy to guess her emotions by looking into her eyes, she tried her best to avoid making eye contact with him. Was she angry with him for what he said? He had only spoken the truth.

"Ya know. I just don't know what is going on in those women's heads sometimes. They'd slit each other's throats just to sit next to you. Poor Shushui is up to his ears in complaints."

She was his long before her father had decided to barter away to Sabaku. Couldn't she see that? How could she actually think that he didn't care about her? The Uchiha's grip tightened on the ceramic handle and his eyes narrowed. Did she really think that Gaara could ever want her more than he did? What else could he possibly do to show her he cared?

"Earth to Sasuke!" Sakura whined and waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you even listening to me Sasuke?"

Sasuke ignored Sakura's attempt to get his attention, instead keeping his eyes on the small woman who was now taking furtive peeks at him from behind her paperwork. When she realized that he was watching her too she frowned and turned back to her computer. A feeling of dissatisfaction settled in the pit of his stomach making him push away from his desk and get up. Moodily he shoved his wallet and phone in his pocket before throwing a light jacket on.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked, concerned with his sudden change in demeanor and exit. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

 **….**

 **Tuesday October 21 2017 12:25pm**

 **Yamanaka Flower Shop**

 **...**

His feet had already taken him to the flower shop before he had finished making up his mind. Now that the warm summer weather was rapidly declining, flowers were no longer spilling out into the street. The front panels had been reinstalled, making it look more reserved and less vibrant. All kinds of fall varieties were packed inside of the shop and were well protected from the crisp fall wind. Sasuke looked up at the bright purple sign of the Yamanaka shop declaring that they were indeed open.

He really shouldn't be here but it wasn't like he had many options...or _experience_ with these kinds of things. Steeling himself against his own self-doubt, he pushed open the door and was greeted with the soft sound of wind chimes above him. Behind the slightly cluttered counter was the blonde florist who had helped him before. The tension in his chest lessened slightly, it would have been...unfortunate if she had not been there. He would have had to ask Tenten and that would mean that Neji would be privy to his intentions. Ino's bright blue eyes looked up from her notebook and smiled when she instantly recognized him.

"Welcome back!" She said cheerfully. Sasuke nodded his head stiffly and awkwardly approached the counter.

Ino was a little _too_ cheery for his tastes. His eyes caught the notebook she was writing in, mildly surprised to find that it was completely covered in numbers that even he had a hard time comprehending. He hadn't pegged the blonde for being good at much more than flower arranging. Judging by her lack of mistakes, despite using a pen, he was wrong for that assumption.

"I thought I frightened you the last time you were here. I was sure you weren't going to come back!" Ino smiled and tapped her chin with her pen. "How did things go with your Hinata? Did she like the sunflowers?"

Sasuke's cheeks flushed as he recalled how surprised Hinata had been when she found the flowers sitting on her desk the following morning. Her eyes immediately lit up and the woman had her head in the clouds the entire day. He wanted to see her like that again. Ino's smile widened despite his lack of verbal response to her line of questioning.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said proudly. "What can I do for you today? We just got some long-stemmed Chrysanthemums this morning!"

Sasuke shook his head and her smile faltered slightly. What he needed from her wasn't anything he could buy from her family's small shop. He needed advice and this near stranger was the only person he felt remotely comfortable asking. He couldn't ask his mother, she would immediately launch into planning a wedding. He also couldn't ask Sakura, he'd have to admit to the woman that he and Hinata had something going on and telling his assistant was the equivalent to telling the entire world. No, Sakura would be a terrible choice. That left him at the feet Ino Yamanaka, tongue-tied and prideful. Clearing his throat, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"What do women like?" He mumbled under breath but Ino caught every word.

Her eyes widened and her mouth was agape as though in shock that someone like him would even have to ask that question. Quickly she shook her head to get rid of her initial shock and placed her ink pen behind her ear.

"It really depends on what kind of woman she is. Everyone is different." She said giddily as she flipped to a fresh page in her notebook. "This is so exciting! Tell me about your Hinata."

Sasuke furrowed his brow bit, unsure if he wanted to give this kind of intimate information to a near stranger. He had never voiced many of his thoughts of Hinata aloud. Before he got the chance to say anything though, the back door to the shop swung with a loud bang and the last person he expected to see in the middle of the day stepped in.

"Hey Ino, there is no such thing as low-calorie ramen-yo Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Sasuke. "What are you doing here?!"

Sasuke shifted from one foot to the other. Naruto being here immediately made him rethink asking Ino anything. She was sure to spill everything he said to Naruto and he was _not_ ready to tell his best friend that he was pursuing his ex.

"I could ask you the same thing." Sasuke deflected as Naruto placed a heavy plastic bag on the counter.

"Well...uh...yeah." Naruto blushed, this time it was his turn to feel uncomfortable.

"You two... _know_ each other?" Ino asked, blue eyes flitting back and forth between the two men that towered over her. "This is a small world. I'll grab some extra chairs."

Sasuke wanted to stop Ino and tell her that he could no longer stay but the woman had already flitted through a door marked 'Employees Only.'

"This is unfortunate." Sasuke grumbled and Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Hey bastard since you're here can I ask you a question?" The blonde man asked. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. What could Naruto possibly want already? Shouldn't he be making an appearance somewhere important?

"Hn."

"Great!" Naruto cheered and rested his arm on Sasuke's shoulder. "Listen, I just recently found out that Ino and Hinata are close friends."

Sasuke felt a chill run down his spine at Naruto's information. Ino's Hinata was _his_ Hinata. Konoha was way too fucking small.

"She doesn't know that Hinata and I used to date. I want to clear it up on my own but I haven't really figured out a way to tell her yet and I don't think Hinata will say anything." Naruto continued in a low voice, oblivious to Sasuke's reaction. "How would you start a conversation like that? Hey, I used to date your best friend but I think you're really cool. Wanna go on a date? No. No. That's dumb. What about-"

"Sorry to make you wait!" Ino called, kicking open the side door and emerging with three metal folding chairs tucked precariously under her arms. Naruto immediately grabbed the chairs from her and set them up on around the counter.

"It's no problem!" The blonde man reassured. "Sasuke here was telling me why _he_ was visiting."

Sasuke glared at Naruto for throwing him under the bus but said nothing as he took a seat. Ino nodded her head and started unpacking the bag of food Naruto had brought in earlier.

"Since you're friends, I guess you should know already right?" Ino said with a smile. "He's trying to _woo_ someone. It's so sweet!"

Naruto's eyes widened and he clapped Sasuke on the back.

"You actually care about something more than your own reflection? I didn't think that was possible for a bastard like you."

"Hmmm, anyway, I was helping him before you showed up." Ino said as she popped open one of the ramen containers and stirred the still warm contents around with her chopsticks. "If you really want to win her over, you should be romantic!"

"Pfft like that's even possible." Naruto snorted.

"Try to find out her likes and dislikes. Write love notes. Take her out on dates. Surprise her. Go for long walks on the beach. Take her to fancy restaurants. Say nice things-"

"Ino, this is Sasuke Uchiha, the biggest asshole I have ever met. He's not going to do any of that."

While the statement from Naruto was rather crude it was never the less accurate. None of what Ino was suggesting sounded like anything he was comfortable doing or was even able to do in public at the moment. Aside from that, he was not a grand public gestures kind of guy and he knew Hinata wouldn't be receptive to that either. Ino was undeterred though. She pushed her ramen to the side and removed her pen from its resting place behind her ear. Quickly she began jotting down a list in her notebook. Sasuke glanced at Naruto who only shrugged his shoulders and shoveled his lunch into his mouth. After a few more minutes, Ino ripped the page out of her notebook and folded it in half.

"This is a list of some suggestions of how to sweep any woman off her feet. I'm a love expert so this is guaranteed to work or I am not a true Yamanaka." She said proudly. "The most important thing is to be genuine. No matter what you do, make sure you mean it!"

Sasuke accepted the note from Ino and folded it up until it fit into his own pocket. He nodded his head slightly in thanks and stood up to leave; if he was gone from the office for too long Sakura would start blowing up his phone.

"Leaving already bastard?" Naruto asked and Sasuke nodded.

"See ya, idiot."

As he opened the door to leave the flower shop he heard Ino's pensive voice.

"Huh...Sasuke Uchiha...why does that name sound so familiar?"

 **….**

 **Wednesday, October 22, 2017, 12:07 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata shifted the heavy stack of papers in her arm, she needed to have copies made for her meeting later on in the afternoon. Unfortunately nearly every floor's copy room was packed and although she knew that she could always bully her way to the front that just wasn't her style. Everyone was working so hard, it wouldn't be fair to them to interrupt what they were doing. This floor was her last-ditch effort but already it appeared to be a dud. The line for the copier was spilling out the door and it's occupants looked as though they wanted to declare mutiny. Curiously she made her way to the front and peeked her head into the crowded copy room. Inside was a young man was frantically pressing buttons on the printer as it shrieked and groaned with error messages. All around him, his colleagues shook their heads and grumbled that he was taking much too long and putting everyone else behind schedule.

"What's going on here?" Hinata asked softly but everyone still stiffened at the sound of her voice.

The young man's eye's widened with fear as though seeing her for the first time and it made her heart melt a little bit. He was definitely one of their new interns and probably thought he was in trouble for damaging company property. Luckily for him, she was much more patient than Neji or her father and had an unfortunate amount of experience fixing her own mishaps with their printers. She knew exactly what those frantic beeps meant.

"I-I didn't mean to. I've been pressing buttons for almost half an hour but I just don't know whats wrong!" The young male intern said nervously, clutching a stack of printer paper to his chest. She placed her own stack of documents on top of the printer and shook her head.

"It's fine." Hinata said patiently as she rolled up the sleeves of her shirt. "These things happen from time to time. I have been meaning to order newer models anyway."

The intern nodded furiously but she could tell that he felt guilty to inconvenience his boss' daughter in such a way. His anxious expression almost made her laugh as she recalled how terrified she'd been when she had started interning and learning the ropes of her family's business. It felt like she could never do anything right but eventually, she got the hang of it, with Neji's assistance of course.

Hinata opened up the front of the printer and shifted through the multiple trays to find the source of the problem. Quickly she located some of the paper jammed between the gears and removed it. The machine blinked back to life and immediately resumed printing when she closed it. The newly minted intern let out a sigh of relief. Hinata couldn't blame him. First days were rough.

"Paper jams happen pretty frequently but now you know what to do." She said reassuringly and the young man bowed deeply in gratitude.

Hinata smiled at him and grabbed her own thick file of papers off of the top of the printer and began to press buttons to make her own copies but the intern reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait! I can do it for you Ms. Hyuuga." The man said, dropping her wrist like she'd burned him.

"Are you sure?" She said as his face turned bright red.

"It's the least I can do!"

"Um...alright." She replied and passed him the hefty stack she had been about to make copies of. After telling him just how many copies she needed, she turned on her heel to make her way back up to her office. Unfortunately, her path was blocked by a certain Uchiha leaning against the copy room door way. His arms were crossed and a smug smirk on his face.

"Enchanting interns this afternoon Hyuuga?" He said smoothly as Hinata brushed past him.

She had many other things she had to attend to today and none of them involved Sasuke Uchiha. She had made a commitment to her father and a promise to Gaara that she would honor. She _had_ to get over Sasuke in order to do that. The man in question had other plans in mind. He pushed off the door jam and followed a half-step behind her.

"What can I do for you Uchiha?" She asked as politely as she could.

"Uchiha? We are back to that game now?" He teased but she didn't respond to the jibe.

Instead, she kept walking as quickly as she could, without looking suspicious, to the elevator. She pressed the button and was grateful to find the elevator empty when it arrived. Well, _almost_ empty. Sasuke, of course, had to slide in beside her. She ignored him and reached out to press the button for the floor to her office but he placed a hand over the button.

"Have lunch with me." He said suddenly and Hinata shook her head.

"I can't." She replied and pushed his hand out of the way to successfully press the button. "I have work to do."

"Have lunch with me."

"I'm not hungry."

Her treacherous stomach growling loudly did not corroborate that excuse. Sasuke said nothing but his smugness radiated off of him in waves. Hinata blushed as the grumbling finally ceased and the elevator doors opened to their respective floor.

"I really can't leave for lunch." She said softly as they exited the elevator and slowly walked down the hall. "I...I don't think it would be appropriate."

"Tch. I knew you would say that." He replied nonchalantly and opened the door to their shared office.

In the middle of the room, their low coffee table was filled to the brim with takeout boxes of food. Her stomach growled louder and her mouth watered as the smell assaulted her nose. There was too much food for it to just be consumed by the two of them. Was someone else coming to join them? Sasuke's hand slipped into hers, pulling her towards the odd amalgamation he had assembled.

"Sasuke." She said; her voice barely above a whisper. "What is all this? Will more people be coming to eat with us?"

His fingers curled tighter around hers as he took a seat on the low-lying couch and brought her down to sit next to him. Hinata looked at the usually proud man next to her with wide eyes but he refused to return her gaze. If Hinata didn't know any better she would have thought he was actually embarrassed! A small fluttering began in the pit of her stomach and radiated out until her entire body felt like it was vibrating. The man beside her released her hand and grabbed a random box of food.

"Eat before it gets cold."

 **….**

 **Thursday, October 23, 2017, 3:45 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke closed his phone with a satisfied smirk on his face. His lawyer, Kakashi Hatake, had already finished negotiations with three of the Hyuuga shareholders on their price and soon more of them would follow. Kakashi, while a pervert, was the most efficient man on the Uchiha legal team. If anyone was could handle the legal end of the ousting of the Hyuuga shareholders, it would be him. It was only a matter of time before everything was finished. Only a matter of time before he could turn the tables and keep the contract from being signed. He just had to be patient.

With that thought as comfort, Sasuke shoved his left hand into his pocket and felt to make sure that Ino's crumpled note was still in his possession. Even if he was able to get the contract shredded he still had to win Hinata over. So far one of Ino's suggestions had worked, maybe another one would too.

"So I believe that was your last big meeting for the day." Sakura said cheerily as they entered the main lobby of the building. "Now you just have to sign a few-"

"Sakura! Sakura!" A small blonde woman said breathlessly as she approached the Uchiha and his assistant. "You gotta see this!"

"What's going on Mitsuki?" Sakura asked, concerned as the woman pulled her by her wrist towards the elevator that was almost packed. Sasuke followed behind them at a more languid pace but his curiosity was peaked.

"It's the Hyuuga! She rejected Kora and Mina's marketing idea. They're pissed!" The blonde woman said excitedly and smashed the button for the third floor. "Apparently they didn't get anyone from the Hyuuga to work with them and she won't let them move forward without it!"

When the elevator reached the third floor, all of its occupants spilled out and migrated quickly towards the conference room where apparently all of the action was happening. Internally this irritated Sasuke. The Uchiha employees had too much free reign and no sense of decorum as they crowded around the glass of the conference room. He would have to speak with Itachi about this behavior later but for now, he could only focus on the scene inside of the glass room. Hinata sat impassively with her arms crossed over her chest as Mina and Kora shouted back and forth across the table.

The women were not used to being told no so it was no wonder they were up in arms about whatever Hinata's decision was. Several of his employees were vainly pressing their ears against the glass to hear whatever the women were saying but the room was sound proof. All they had to go by was Mina waving her arms frantically in the air and Kora's face turning purple. Hinata didn't appear fazed by their antics at all though. Instead, when they finally seemed to run out of steam she only said one thing and closed her eyes. Both women jumped out of their seats and looked as though they might cry.

Hinata paid no heed to the simpering women and gathered up her things. She smoothly opened the conference room door and ignored the tumbling pile of Uchiha employees that scurried to get out of her way. While no one knew the context of the conversation they had never seen Kora or Mina knocked down a peg. None of them wanted to be next either.

"Whoa." Sakura said with admiration ladened heavily in her voice. "Hinata's pretty scary when she wants to be huh."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted in agreement although scary was not the term he would use to describe the woman in front of him.

No. As her voluptuous backside stalked away from the nosy crowd that had gathered, all he could think about was how sexy she looked when she took control. He had once told Itachi that he found her to be competent but now as he watched his own employees fall in line to her commands he knew that he had grossly underestimated her abilities. She was not _just_ competent, she was formidable.

 **….**

 **Friday October 24 2017 4:01pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata sighed as she rolled her shoulders and tried to relieve some of the stress that had built up during the day. She had finally slogged through all of the meetings that she needed to for the day and now all that awaited her was a hefty pile of paperwork to sift through. She picked up the first document and her eyes immediately crossed at the dry jargon it contained. Maybe she should finally consider getting an assistant like Itachi and Sasuke. Then she wouldn't have to read through all of this material on her own. She groaned in frustration and pushed away from her desk to go sit on the couch, if she were sitting in a more comfortable position maybe then she would be able to concentrate. Once she settled into the couch she knew instantly that this was no better than her desk but at least it was soft. With a yawn, she stretched out and settled into trying to make sense of the thick document in her hand...

When her eyes opened again she hadn't even realized that they had been closed. She blinked and craned her neck to look out the window, alarmed at how pitch black it was outside. Dammit! She had fallen asleep and now she was even more behind in her work than she had been before! As she jolted upright something heavy fell off of her body and into her lap.

"What the-" she said as she lifted up the heavy black material.

She stretched it out with both hands and her confusion only intensified. She had never seen this coat in her life. What was it doing on top of her? The door to the office creaked open and she jumped.

"I see you're awake." Sasuke said smoothly as he entered the office with her mug in one hand and a bunch of folders tucked under his arm.

Hinata blushed at his statement and pulled her knees up to her chest. How long had she been asleep? Sasuke crossed the room and set the items he was holding on the low coffee table in front of the couch. The couch sank slightly with the addition of his weight.

"What time is it?" Hinata asked, picking up the boring papers she still hadn't read from the floor.

"It's almost seven." He replied and reached for his coffee and the top file. "You slept right through the proposal meeting for the new head quarters."

"Wh-what?!" She gasped. "That's supposed to be in two weeks!"

Sasuke shook his head and her heart sank. How could she have forgotten about a meeting and such an important one at that? She just had so much on her plate recently that she couldn't keep everything straight. She didn't even want to think about the wrath her father would incur if he found out that she had neglected her duties because she _took a nap_. He was probably already angry regardless of whatever excuse she might cook up. This was terrible! Right as she was starting to panic a sharp rap to the top of her head brought her back to reality.

"I'm kidding Hyuuga. Don't start hyperventilating." He said and held the file he had hit her with under her nose. "The last of the bids were emailed this afternoon. You should look over it."

Hinata glared at him and pursed her lips in a tight line. She did not appreciate Sasuke almost giving her a heart attack but she took the folder from him anyway. The Uchiha was unfazed by her weak glare; if anything it only further served his own twisted sense of humor.

'Jerk.' Hinata thought and opened the folder.

Quickly she flipped through the proposals for the facility that would house their newly merged company. The current location of Hyuuga Enterprise was much too small to incorporate all of the functions necessary for the two previously independent companies. The signing had cemented their union legally but now it was time to finally move all of the Uchiha operations from Suna back to Konoha permanently. That meant breaking ground on a new site and starting from scratch all over again. Despite the initial public backlash of their merge, there was buzz over the deluge of money that would soon flow into the city to accommodate the construction. Hinata hoped that the buzz would continue down a more positive track but the public approval was a fickle beast. When she reached the last proposal she looked up to find Sasuke staring at her intently.

"Well?" He asked.

"Well, what?"

"What do you think?"

"Wh-what do _I_ think?" She stammered in disbelief. "My opinion doesn't matter on things like this. The shareholders handle this. They will choose the option they find the most appropriate for relocation."

While it was important for her to attend the upcoming proposal meeting it was more for show than anything. Big decisions like this were always left up to her father and shareholders. Now that the Uchiha were here she supposed that Fugaku and his team would now be included in the decision as well.

"Tch." Sasuke grunted and flipped the papers in her lap back to the beginning. "Look through it again. Make an opinion."

Hinata narrowed her eyes at his persistence and he stared her down. Why did he care so much about her opinion anyway? He was not the kind of person that took others thoughts into consideration. He placed her coffee mug back on the table, not taking his eyes off of her for a second.

"We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way Hyuuga." He said, his voice was slightly deeper making her shiver. With anticipation? Anxiety? Lust? She wasn't quite sure but she knew that look in his eye. This was not going to end well.

"I should go. It's been a long day." She mumbled, trying to suppress a blush from coming to the surface.

As she moved to lower her knees from her chest, he grabbed her right ankle and dragged her leg over to his lap. Hinata squeaked in surprise and tried to squirm away from him but to no avail.

"You have chosen the hard way Hyuuga." He said, his onyx eyes growing impossibly darker. "I'll let you go when you do as I've requested. If you continue to defy me, I will only bring you closer."

Hinata gulped. How in the world was she supposed to uphold her end of the bargain with Gaara when Sasuke looked at her like that? When each word that dripped from his mouth roused the embers she was trying to smother? She took a deep breath and tried to get a handle on the situation. He just wanted her opinion right? Begrudgingly, she reopened the folder and scanned all of the proposals again, each one a worse option than the last. When she closed the folder again, Sasuke raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"They're all terrible." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hm?" He grumbled skeptically and Hinata huffed, shuffling the papers and pulling out one of the worst offenders.

"Look at this one. It calls for entirely separate buildings. That's unnecessary and will only be redundant with many of the things we do. It won't allow for smooth communication between us."

Sasuke took the paper from her hand, eyes scanning through the bullet points, and nodded in agreement. Feeling a bit more confident, she pulled out three more proposals that all ran pretty identical to each other.

"These are all calling for us to be in the same building but on separate floors. I know how your employees are. They will take working on lower floors to the Hyuuga as an insult."

"Would the Hyuuga be willing to work on the lower floors?"

"No." Hinata said, absolutely certain that if asked they would do so but it would be like a slap in the face.

Sasuke sighed and took the folder from her possession. With an air of mild frustration, he tossed it on the coffee table.

"Since you can poke holes in every other idea. Perhaps you could come up with a better idea."

"Pfft!" Hinata snort, laying back down on the couch and staring at the ceiling above. "Like the shareholders would ever approve of anything I put forward."

"Hn." Sasuke said as his fingers slowly detached from her ankle. "I'm sure you can convince the Shareholder."

" _Shareholders."_ She corrected. "Convincing one of whatever idea I might come up with is pointless. Plus my father would never agree to anything I said and-"

"Hinata." Sasuke interrupted. "One day this will all be yours. From the tile to the doorknobs. This merge forces both the Hyuuga and Uchiha to build from scratch. I think that you could come up with something that would suit everyone."

Hinata felt her heart clench at his words. Sasuke just didn't understand. _None of this would be hers._ Not anymore. Whenever her father and Gaara decided to go public with their engagement she was to relinquish all of her claims to the Hyuuga and step aside for Hanabi to ascend to the position of heiress. Hanabi would be the best head that the Hyuuga ever had, this Hinata was sure of, but that didn't mean she wasn't hurt. All her life she had tried to gain her father's approval, for him to finally see her as worthy of her birthright. She wanted to be seen as trustworthy enough to uphold the family name and continue their legacy. Unfortunately, all she could do to add value to their name at this point was to marry Gaara. It was not the satisfying path she had imagined her life would go but it was the one she was heading down. At this point, she wasn't even sure why she even still tried to do anything around the office since nothing she was doing right now mattered much anyway.

"It is not my place to make these kinds of decisions." She said finally. "None of this will be mine."

The couch shifted and her legs slipped off of his lap. Soon, instead of the blank ceiling above, all she could see was Sasuke's dark eyes hovering above her and his body entrapping her own.

"You are a woman who cares about everything from paper jams to employee representation. There is no one better to decide how this new office should be created."

"Sasuke-"

"This, everything, is yours."

Hinata stared back at his unwavering eyes and for a fleeting moment, she believed him, that one day she would be the head of the Hyuuga and not the wife of a foreign business man. She knew that she was only fooling herself but tonight, only for tonight, she would believe it to be true. She placed a hand on Sasuke's chest and reluctantly pushed him away so that she could sit upright.

"Okay. I'll see what I can come up with."

 **To be continued...**


	18. I Don't Want This

**CCNote:** **I don't have much to say for once other than Happy Monday I guess? I'm in the market for a new beta if anyone is interested. It's not a hard job, just someone to clean up my glaring drunk mistakes.**

 _ **To the reviewers last chapter:**_ **Even though the last chapter didn't get a lot of traffic your reviews made me so happy! I reread them all at least twice and they really helped motivate me to put out this chapter much sooner than I would have otherwise. Thank you so much!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **I Don't Want This**

 **Friday, October 30, 2017, 8:02 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

 _"Okay. I'll see what I can come with."_

The pale pink light of the sun rising through the cityscape poured into the offices of Hyuuga Enterprise, most of which were empty save for one. Neither one of its occupants should be there as early as they were but it had become an unspoken rule to arrive before the sun rose. Those few hours before eight am, before the offices were abuzz with activity and they were inundated with requests, were precious.

"You should make sure you are kind to the Aburames' today." Hinata said, unconsciously wiggling her toes under the warmth of his thigh. The temperature was dropping rapidly as the edges of fall were beginning to feel more like winter and Hinata was a sucker for warm places.

"Mmmm." Sasuke mumbled without looking up from his paperwork. "Is there another one of your many admirers among them? Ow!"

He glared at the small woman who dared to kick him and still put her foot back underneath his thigh. Her cheeks were puffed and eyes narrowed by his statement and while it was meant to be a disapproving look it completely missed the mark.

"No. Their son is an old family friend." She huffed. "Just don't get mad when he's...he's honest."

"Honest. Got it." Sasuke grunted.

Hinata seemed satisfied with that answer and returned to scribbling ideas down in her notebook for her headquarters proposal. She had been working on it for awhile now but would not divulge anything to him no matter how much he poked and prodded.

"Don't forget to meet Itachi later too."

"Hn."

"He's been looking for you." She reprimanded gently but Sasuke only scoffed.

"He's embarrassing." Sasuke countered and Hinata smiled.

Seeing her smile so freely like that made his breath catch in his throat. Her head slightly tilted and her teeth showing proudly. She was beautiful. The only woman he would ever describe as beautiful was his mother. For most of his adult life, very few women would ever be able to come close to the beauty of Mikoto Uchiha. Yet, as the morning sun washed Hinata's pale skin, he couldn't help but note that she had surpassed his childish standard of beauty by leaps and bounds.

"Good morning." Sakura said, causing both of the room's occupants to turn towards the door. Neither one of them had even heard it open.

Hinata immediately retracted her feet and the loss of them put Sasuke in a sour mood. He had enjoyed the small physical contact that she had allowed to take place. Why couldn't Sakura have waited another hour to show up? The pink haired woman in question looked at the two of them curiously on the couch.

"You two seem to be getting along well." She said flatly and roughly deposited her purse on the coffee table. Hinata blushed at her statement and quickly turned all of her attention to her proposal idea. Sasuke didn't miss the slight edge in Sakura's tone and for some reason, it irked him.

"Is that odd?" He asked, flipping his document to a new page and the woman bristled.

"Of course not." She said as though she were trying to convince herself as well as her audience of her honesty. "It's good for company morale to see the future heads getting along."

 **...**

 **Saturday, October 31, 2017, 3:17 pm**

 **Hidden Leaf Gym-Closed for Renovations**

 **...**

 _Thump Thump Thwack_

It was so easy to forget her responsibilities when she was with him. It was easy to slip into her comfort zone and freeze out the world so that it was just the two of them. It shouldn't be that easy but it just was, he made it that way. Sasuke expected nothing from her nor did she have any expectation of him. It felt nice to just exist and another person accepted that existence without a million conditions attached. It was such an intoxicating feeling that letting it go felt like going through withdrawls.

 _Thwack Thump_

Sasuke wasn't helping matters either. Every time they crossed paths at the company, he would find some subtle way to remind her why she was so susceptible to him in the first place. Sasuke was not one for huge displays of affection but what he did do spoke volumes. Why was he doing this? Why was he making this harder than it had to be?

 _Thump Thump Thump_

Slowly but surely the man was wearing down her resolves and if she wasn't careful she might just have a relapse. Shaking her head of her thoughts, she focused instead on trying to block Tenten's knee to her side. It was fortunate that she did because the power behind the blow would have sent her to the floor otherwise. Instead, she only stumbled a few steps back before regaining her balance. Tenten relaxed her fighting stance and put her hands on her hips.

"Am I being too rough? Do you wanna call it a day?" She asked through heavy breaths.

If anyone needed a break it was Tenten. However, Hinata knew that her friend would not take a break on her own unless it was prompted by someone else. The woman was just stubborn that way. The Hyuuga held out her arms passively and Tenten began unstrappeding the velcro that held the pads on her arms and hands. Once those were removed, the two women worked to free her torso as well. Hinata took a deep breath, finally able to allow her lungs to expand fully when the heavy protective gear fell to the ground with a loud thud. She finally removed the head piece and mouth guard just as Tenten was tossing her a bottle of water.

"Being a human punching bag is hard work huh?" Tenten chuckled, wiping her sweaty forehead with the inside of her arm. "Sorry about asking you to help me last minute!"

"It's not a problem at all!" Hinata said with a smile. "I'm afraid I am not a good sparring partner."

"Pft! You aren't bad!"

Although Tenten would never corroborate her earlier statement, they both knew it was true. The most she could do against Tenten's brute force was serve as target practice. Neji had been a much better partner for her and his absence clung to the gym like a ghost. While the main areas of the gym were still being renovated by Lee and Guy, there was a small training room in the back for the personal use of the employees. All over the walls were pictures of past tournaments that the gym had participated in, black eyes and broken arms but smiles abound. Hinata liked seeing her cousin that way. The subtle smile on his lips whenever he won a match was something she missed terribly.

"Earth to Hinata." Tenten said as she pressed the side of her cold water bottle against the distracted woman's forehead. Hinata flinched away from the cold contact causing the brunette to laugh. "You have been so distracted lately. What's going on?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip and Tenten picked up on her hesitation and placed a hand on top of her head.

"You Hyuugas keep a lot of secrets locked up in your heads you know." She said with a soft smile. Hinata tried to return her smile but she couldn't.

"You don't have to tell me anything ever if you don't want to but Hinata. You and Neji act as though you don't have a choice with the things that happen in your life but you do. You _always_ have a choice."

Hinata nodded her head in tacit agreement but internally she knew that Tenten was wrong. _Tenten_ had a choice. She had no connections, no obligations to anyone. She could up and do whatever her heart desired whenever she wanted to. Hinata knew that she did not have that luxury. Her life track had been planned since she had been conceived and every step was dictated by a higher authority. That's the way it had always been and the way it would continue to be...but, deep down, her heart rebelled against the notion. It longed for the chance to have a choice. Tenten's eyes softened and she wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulder's.

"Come on, I think Ino and Sakura are cooking something tonight." She said and both women grimaced at the thought of eating anything Sakura and Ino managed to cook up. "Don't worry we can probably have a liquid dinner instead, I have plenty of wine stashed away just for times like this!"

Hinata smiled despite the prospect of having to force down her friends' cooking. A girl's night in was just the thing to take her mind off of her own problems. Just as she opened her mouth to agree she remembered that she had already committed herself to go out to dinner with Gaara later. Suddenly her good mood soured and she was right back to square one.

"Sorry, Ten...I've got...other plans. Maybe next time?"

 **…..**

 **Saturday, October 31, 2017, 9:48 pm**

 **Undisclosed Location**

 **...**

"Woo!" Kiba cheered loudly, making Sasuke's left eye twitch. The wild man was feeding off of the crowd's energy way too much.

The small arena was packed with sweaty bodies smoking like chimneys. Thick rolls of money changed hands from coat pockets and lined the wallets of successful gambling men. To his right, Naruto was about to jump out of his seat and into the ring himself. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the fact that he'd blow his cover. With a baseball cap pulled low over his blonde hair and a surgical mask over his face it wasn't much of a disguise but in a crowded area like this, it was enough to slip under the radar. There were plenty of people with something to hide so no one looked too closely.

"Get it!" He shouted as the young man fighting in the ring kicked his much older opponent in the side of his head.

The brunt of the kick was focused in Konohamaru's heel making the man stumble to the side and clutch his now bleeding ear. He managed to regain his balance quickly and lunged his all of his weight at Konohamaru which knocked the boy onto his back. Konohamaru rolled away as the man attempted to kick him in the side but was unable to dodge his body slam.

"He's finished." Shikamaru said flatly as he relit another cigarette and took a long drag.

Sasuke nodded his head in agreement. The boy had put up an admirable fight but his opponent was much better. Naruto ignored their pessimism and continued to cheer on the boy until the referee called the match. The blonde sank down into his seat in defeat and briefly lowered his mask so he could chug down half of his beer.

"This match was fucking rigged!" He complained. "Did you see the size of that guy? They wanted him to lose!"

"You've beaten larger." Shikamaru said and Naruto crossed his arms over his chest.

"Still. It wasn't a fair fight." He grumbled before putting his mask back in place and going to help Konohamaru out of the ring.

Sasuke took a short sip of his own beer and glanced down at his phone. No word from Kakashi yet on the final holdouts but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. No news was good news sometimes. His eyes floated back up to the ring as workers quickly mopped off the blood and sweat that had accumulated from the previous altercation. Sasuke's hand twitched as he recalled the feeling of bones cracking underneath his fist...

 _Sasuke frowned as he inspected the large gash above his left eyebrow. He should have been more careful than to allow his opponent to mark him on his face. His mother was going to ask a million questions when she saw it, each one closer to the truth than the last. It wasn't as though the truth really mattered anyway since nothing he did would obtain his father's attention. No, his father was too busy grooming Itachi into the perfect heir to ever care about what his spare was doing._

 _Frustratedly, he turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. His own blood, as well as that of his opponents, mixed in the white sink, turning it red as it swirled down the basin's drain. He hissed as the cold water stung the broken skin of his knuckles but he didn't mind the feeling. It only meant that his opponent looked worse. The door to the empty locker room swung open but Sasuke didn't pay it any mind. He continued to allow the water to run over his hands until the bleeding lessened. The intruder shuffled over to the sink next to him and weakly turned on the sink. His labored wheezing was all Sasuke needed to hear to know that the man was not worth his time but he looked over anyway._

 _The intruder looked to be about the same age as him but he couldn't really be sure since his face was worse for wear. Clearly, the guy had gotten in way over his head. This wasn't child's play. Sasuke knew that first hand. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke turned his faucet off just as the boy next to him began to cough up blood. The Uchiha's upper lip curled at the sight of weakness._

 _'Loser.' He thought and turned on his heel to his locker to retrieve his things._

 _Sitting perpendicular to the narrow bench, he unzipped his gym bag and began rummaging through it to see if he could find something to wrap his hand in until he could get home to clean it. When he came up empty he cursed himself for neglecting to pack his bag properly._

 _"Yo." A raspy voice said._

 _Sasuke looked up to see the blonde boy from before standing in front of him, holding out a fresh roll of white bandages. His dark eyes narrowed at the sight of the boy's own hand which was also in a shoddy state. Who did this loser think he was to give away things when he was in greater need? He didn't need this stranger's misguided pity. He looked away from the offering and returned to fishing his shirt out of his bag._

 _"I saw your fight earlier." The boy said taking a seat in front of Sasuke's bag. "I wasn't expecting you to be able to take that guy down like that!"_

 _Sasuke ignored the compliment as he roughly pulled his shirt over his head, wincing slightly at the sharp pain between his shoulder blades. He did not look forward to getting up the next morning._

 _"Say, where did you learn to kick like that? I was sure you were going to fall." The blonde asked despite Sasuke's continued snub. "You should definitely get that hand checked out though. I have some extra bandages since I can see you don't have any. My name is Naruto by the way."_

 _The Uchiha rolled his eyes as he pulled on a pair of jeans. He didn't give a damn what the boy's name was, it wasn't like they'd ever see each other again. Naruto was still oblivious to the hint that he didn't want to be bothered. The blonde placed the extra roll of bandages on top of Sasuke's bag, a huge expectant smile on his face. His stupid, bloody, loser face. Seeing the boy so happy made Sasuke want to punch him in the teeth. Instead, he settled for smacking the bandages right off his bag and onto the concrete floor where they quickly unraveled._

 _"Hey!" Naruto frowned. "What the hell did you do that for?"_

 _"Hn." Sasuke grunted, satisfied now that the boy was no longer smiling. He slipped on his shoes and slung his gym bag over his shoulder._

 _"You're a right bastard ya know that?" Naruto shouted as Sasuke's hand hovered to push open the swinging door._

 _"Che. Whatever, loser."_

...Sasuke smirked at the memory. He hadn't fought since his family moved to Suna but he did miss it occasionally. That was why when Naruto suggested they visit one of their old stomping grounds for old times sake it hadn't taken much convincing. Overhead a bell rang loudly to get the crowd's attention for the next match to begin.

"Gentlemen may I have your attention please!" The announcer said loudly from the middle of the ring. "This is a fight guaranteed to make you money! It is a knockout, drag-out match! Last one standing wins! Coming back as our reigning champion. Weighing in at a 150 pounds of pain! The destroyer of dreams and crusher of clavicles _IWATAAAA!_ "

A large blonde made seperated the ropes to the ring with the crowd going wild. They wanted blood and the man before them standing proudly at over six feet was nothing but pure muscle. Sasuke felt sorry for the poor soul who would have to go up against him. This was clearly a fight to rile people up and if Naruto thought the last fight wasn't fair this one was certain to be a bloodbath. Taking another sip of his beer he turned his attention back to his phone to check his email. This match was sure to be over quickly.

"Annnnnnnd in this corner! We have a treat for you folks! The first girl to ever grace our ring with her beauty!" the announcer continued and the crowded booed. "I know I know. Iwata deserves a real match but we are all about equal opportunity right?! Weighing in at a delicate 115 pounds is _Hana!"_

"Well, I'll be damned." Shikamaru said and the astonishment in his voice made Sasuke look back up towards the ring.

Glaring up at the man towering in front of her without an ounce of fear was none other than Hanabi Hyuuga. Clad in nothing more than a sports bra and compression shorts, she looked entirely too breakable. Sasuke felt his heart immediately drop into the recesses of his stomach. What the fuck what Hinata's little sister doing in an underground fighting ring? It was bad enough that Naruto was not stopping Konohamaru from fighting, the boy honestly needed to be knocked around a bit, but Hanabi was another story altogether. Hinata would have a heart attack if Hanabi got hurt doing something dangerous like this. With that in mind, he stood up from his seat and would have walked over to security to stop the fight if Shikamaru hadn't grabbed his wrist. The brunette pulled him back with more strength than Sasuke would have ever given him credit for.

"No one recognizes her so far." Shikamaru hissed in his ear. "Most people are too drunk to care who gets their face bashed in. All they see is an easy bet to win but if you try to stop the fight from taking place it _will_ arouse suspicion. Someone will look close enough and there will be trouble for all of us."

Sasuke wrested his limb away from Shikamaru. The man-made sense but he didn't have to like what he was saying. The bell for the match to begin rang loudly in his ears along with the jeers of the crowd. Hanabi and Iwata circled each other inside of the ring, sizing each other up.

"C'mon! Hit her!"

"She thinks she can play with the big boys! Teach her a lesson!"

Hanabi appeared unfazed by the calls for her defeat and instead focused on finding an opening to make the first move. Iwata was not taking the fight as serious as she was if the look of amusement on his face was any indication.

"You're in over your head aren't you little girl? Is this an attention thing?" He teased. "Does Daddy not show you enough love?"

"Stop talking and fight me." Hanabi said calmly and the man threw his head back and laughed.

"Fiesty aren't we? Okay, I'll fight you. I'll teach you a lesson your Daddy should have taught you."

Iwata lunged straight for Hanabi but being that she was so much smaller than him she was able to quickly dodge. She hopped nimbly from one foot to the other, carefully outmaneuvering her burly opponent. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest as he observed her strategy. She was trying to tire him out. She knew that she would never be able to land a powerful enough blow to knock the man out. If she got too close to him he would surely be the one to win. While it might seem like a smart move, men like Iwata get annoyed easily and she would soon find it impossible to dodge every hit. In fact, the man's patience already seemed to be fraying as his nostrils flared and his face turned red with frustration. He swung wildly at her left side and she dipped down, narrowly avoiding his thick fist.

"Too slow." She taunted as she jumped away. "You're as dumb as you look."

"I'll show you dumb ya little cunt!" Iwata growled and the crowd's calls for the teenager's head grew louder.

He threw another right hook at Hanabi which of course she dodged but to her own detriment. He was not aiming to hit but to capture. He grabbed her long brown ponytail between his meaty fingers and pulled her up by the strands before flinging her into the ring post. Her small back hit the metal hard but she surprisingly did not cry out or fall. Instead, she flung herself towards her opponent and they continued their mismatched dance of ducking and dodging. The Hyuuga was uncouth and sorely outmatched but Sasuke had to admit that there was raw talent there that he hadn't expected. Again she was going to try to tire Iwata out and he was already losing steam. With a frustrated roar, he kicked Hanabi in the side with enough force to crack a rib but it narrowly missed. She still lost her balance and fell to the mat. Her avoidance to the hit had cost her her footing and Iwata was on top of her in the next second. He kicked her in her side, this time making contact even though she rolled away. The adulation of the crowd was with Iwata, making him overconfident in his abilities. He picked Hanabi up by her hair again, a leery smile on his yellowed teeth.

"How about after this I become your new Daddy hm?"

Hanabi spat blood from her busted lip into his face and curled her knees up to her chest. Faster than anyone had expected she wrapped her legs around his neck and pressed both of her thumbs into his eyes. The feverish crowd went silent save for the man's screams as he tried in vain to remove the petite woman. She pressed hard enough to bring him to his knees and even then she kept pressing. She only stopped when the match bell rang declaring her victory and it was like a switch went off. She promptly stepped over the man who was now curled in the fetal position and exited the ring through the cleared path to the back. Swiftly, Sasuke made it through the crowd that was now demanding their money back for a fight they believed to be rigged. Hanabi disappeared behind one of the side doors and the Uchiha wasn't far behind her.

"Stop." Sasuke shouted as Hanabi continued single-mindedly down the empty hallway. At hearing his voice she did stop walking and whipped around quickly to face him. Her pale eyes grew wide when recognition.

"What are you doing here?" She gasped, now a far cry from the relentless girl in the ring.

"I believe I should be asking you the same thing." He replied in a low voice. "What is a Hyuuga doing in a place like this? You shouldn't be here."

"You can't tell me where I should or should not be."

"Go home _'Hana'_. There are people out there who would love nothing more to pick another fight with you."

"Ha! I'd like to see them try."

With that, she turned on her heel and pushed open the door to the locker room at the end of the hallway. Sasuke wiped a frustrated hand over his face. Why were the Hyuuga sisters so fucking stubborn? He pushed open the door to the locker room as well expecting to find it empty save for Hanabi but Konohamaru was sitting on the narrow wooden bench with an icepack on his jaw. When he noticed Hanabi had entered the room his eyes immediately lit up.

"Did you win?" He asked, wincing slightly with each word.

"Of course I did stupid."

Hanabi kneeled down in front of him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He flinched back a bit in surprise. Sasuke rolled his eyes and obnoxiously cleared his throat. He didn't have time for corny teenage romance. Hanabi glared at him for the interruption.

"Why are you still following me?" She hissed.

"Why are you fighting grown men twice your age and three times your size?" He replied and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh please like you care."

She turned her body away from Sasuke and back to Konohamaru who was looking between the two of them with confusion. She reached up and touched a particularly nasty cut right above his eye and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"I'll take you home. Let's go." The Uchiha said sternly and Hanabi whipped around onto her feet.

"I'm not going anywhere with _you._ " She hissed. "I'm not Hinata you. You can't just boss me around."

"You're right. You're not your sister. She isn't stupid enough to get into situations like this."

"How dare-"

"Hanabi." Konohamaru spoke up and placed a bright yellow cell phone into her hands. "You should leave. I'll be fine here until Naruto gets back."

Hanabi's eyes widened at the mention of Naruto's name and Sasuke instantly knew that the blonde had no idea she was even here. If he did her match would have never happened. The young Hyuuga's shoulders slumped as she knew that she was backed into a corner. It was either leave with him or face Naruto. Not waiting for her to contemplate her decision further he grabbed her elbow and practically dragged the stubborn girl out of the locker room.

 **…..**

 **Saturday, October 31, 2017, 11:13 pm**

 **Streets of Konoha**

 **...**

The cab ride back to the Hyuuga compound was tense to say the least. Hanabi looked as though she would murder him as soon as she got the chance so that probably had something to do with it.

"You're going to tell my sister first chance you get won't you?" she said moodily.

"I don't have a good reason not to." He replied, unfazed by her attitude. "You have no business being there."

Hanabi's mouth tightened into a flat line and her arms crossed over her chest in a protective manner, suddenly remembering the fact that she was only wearing a sports bra and shorts in the middle of a crisp fall night. Perfect for a fight, terrible for anything else. Strands of her long brown hair fell messily from her ponytail and obscured her face. As she deflated she finally started looking like the seventeen-year-old she was supposed to be. Sighing, he ran his fingers through his own hair.

"What were you doing in a place like that?" He asked, making an enormous effort to not sound as harsh as he had before.

"Why should I tell you? It's not like you'd understand."

"Hn. Try me."

Hanabi cut her eyes at him, unsure of whether to trust him or not. In all honesty, when he was her age he wouldn't have trusted someone like him either. He watched as the girl ran her fingers over the angry red welts on her arms that Iwata had left in his last moments. She was going to have a hard time explaining marks like that to her family in the morning.

"I don't want any of this." She finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Everyday...I get closer to my coming of age ceremony. As soon as that happens I'll be swept up in everything that has to do with the family. _Everything_ will be for my family. Fighting is the only thing I can do that's for me. It's the only thing that I can do with my own two hands that wasn't already handed down to me."

"I don't want to work in our family business. I don't want to be told what to eat, when to sleep, and how to take a shit. I see how much Hinata and Neji work and I don't want any of that. I don't want to be unhappy like they are."

"Hinata is unhappy?" Sasuke asked pensively more to himself than to the teenager.

"She was unhappy for a really long time." She said with a tired shrug of her shoulders. "Then...I don't know a light switch went on and all of a sudden she was happy again. I rarely got to see her but when I did she just seemed different. Now...I see her alot more often. She comes straight home after work most nights but she's always sad. I don't want to be like that."

Sasuke frowned. He did not like what he was hearing from Hanabi but he pushed it aside to figure out later.

"So you think that participating in illegal fights and pushing men's eyeballs in will make you happy?"

"It's just a way to get out my frustration. I'm good at it but my father wouldn't let me sign up for more traditional martial arts like Neji used to do. 'It's unbecoming of a lady blah blah blah'."

He smirked at her childish rendition of her father and the irony of her doing something even more 'unlady-like' than he had intended. He grabbed Hanabi's left arm and looked it over carefully. As long as she didn't scratch herself the welts would go away in a day or so.

"Next time wrap your arms." He said bluntly.

Hanabi slowly retracted her limb from his possession and cradled it close to her chest.

"Wha-"

"If you're going to fight don't be an idiot and agree to something so obviously mismatched. One day you will mess up. Give me your phone."

The girl gave him a skeptical look but handed him what he requested. He quickly punched in his number.

"Here."

"Why are you being so nice to me right now?" She mumbled as the cab finally came to a complete stop and the engine cut-off.

"Hn." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Because if you are going to fight at least do it properly. You're sloppy."

"Hey!" She protested but he was already handing the cab driver money and getting out of the car. "What do you know anyway!"

As he shut the door behind him, another car pulled up to a stop and turned its head lights off. That was odd. The door to the new car opened and out stepped an unmistakable crop of fiery red hair.

"Good evening, Uchiha."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	19. Sick

**CCNote: It has come to my attention that many of you are unable to leave reviews on previous chapters due to something with the way is set up. Please try to use the REVIEW button for this chapter. I'm pretty positive that it will work now! To everyone else the fav/follows are nice but don't forget to leave a review. They motivate me to update faster. Anywho, enjoy!**

 **Sick**

 **Saturday October 31 2017 11:35pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

 _"Good evening Uchiha."_

Sasuke stood there with his fists clenched as Gaara made his way around to the other side of the car. The raven didn't want to see Hinata getting out of that car but his own masochistic tendencies kept him rooted to the spot.

"What's going on? What is he doing here?" Hanabi asked as she walked up to his side and frowned when she didn't receive an immediate response to her questions.

A million questions ran through his own head at once but the noise ceased as soon as the other car door opened. Instead of Hinata stepping out of her own volition, her head which had been pressed against the glass lolled out. She would have fallen out of the car if Gaara hadn't crouched down in time to catch her. Sasuke took a step towards the couple. Something was wrong. As Gaara pulled Hinata out of the car, her body hung limply against him. Despite the cool temperature of the evening, her skin was glistening with a sheen of sweat.

"Hinata!" Hanabi shouted and crossed the short distance to where her sister was with Sasuke not far behind. "What the hell happened to my sister?!"

"Ha-Hana..."Hinata groaned and tried to open her eyes. Gaara's arm wrapped tighter around her waist as Hanabi walked up and cupped the woman's face with both hands.

"Hinata! You're burning up!" She gasped and took a step back. Hinata weakly shook her head.

"Hana...where...where are your clothes?" She mumbled.

She swayed slightly in Gaara's grip, her face growing paler by the minute. When her brows knitted together Sasuke knew instantly what would happen next if they didn't act quickly. He had seen that same look on Hinata's face only a couple of months ago.

"Sabaku." Sasuke said firmly. "Let her go."

"She is in no shape to walk on her own Uchiha." Gaara replied callously and Hanabi looked as though she wanted to slap him.

"She needs to get in the grass, let her go. Now."

"What are you-"

"Blurgh!"

The sound of Hinata vomiting all over Gaara's side ricocheted through the darkness of the night. Surprisingly, Gaara didn't flinch. He just held her steady until she finished getting rid of whatever was making her sick. When she finally finished, Sasuke carefully took her from the man's side so as to keep her from stepping in her own sickness.

"Let's get her inside." Hanabi said worriedly and turned a pitying eye to Gaara. "My cousin will have some clothes that might fit you."

As gently as he could, Sasuke scooped Hinata up into his arms from Gaara's side and cradled her close. Instinctively, she buried her face in his chest and clutched the front of his jacket. Gaara raised an eyebrow at their interactions but said nothing as Hanabi led them into the main house.

 **….**

 **Sunday November 1 2017 1:00am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

Sasuke frowned as he held Hinata's hair. No matter how much she expelled from her small body there seemed to still be more to come up. Hanabi sat inside of the porcelain tub staring worriedly from a safe distance.

"Hinata never gets sick." She mumbled. "She's the one that takes care of everyone else."

Hinata groaned and lifted her head from the toilet enough to rest her cheek on the seat. Her bangs clung to her sweaty forehead and eyes were squeezed shut as she took labored breaths. Sasuke pushed her hair off her forehead, alarmed at how hot her skin was to the touch. She had seemed just fine earlier at work but now she looked like a shell of herself. Grunting, he stood up and grabbed one of her washcloths to soak it in cool water. He didn't know much about taking care of sick people. All he had for reference was what his own mother used to do when they were younger, hopefully, that would be enough. When the cool washcloth was pressed against her skin she shivered but she didn't throw up again.

"How is she?" Gaara asked from the bathroom doorway, his red hair still damp from his shower. Sasuke ignored his question, instead concentrating on wiping down the back of Hinata's neck.

"Hanabi." The Uchiha said. "Call Neji."

Hanabi perked up at the mention of her cousin and scrambled out of the tub to go retrieve her cell phone. Gaara sidestepped out of her way and walked over to where Sasuke and Hinata were crouched over the toilet bowl. Sasuke stood up and leaned over to the sink so that he could drench the now warm washcloth in cold water once more. It would be awhile before her fever broke.

"Let me." Gaara said and held his hand out to take the cloth away before it touched Hinata's skin again.

Sasuke cut a glare at the man and continued what he was previously doing. Gaara bristled slightly at the snub, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the edge of the white countertop.

"Uchiha. What is your personal relationship with Hinata?" He as tersely. Sasuke rolled his eyes, Gaara had never been one to mince his words.

"You're in a talkative mood." The Uchiha replied sarcastically.

"You are as evasive as ever. Answer the question."

"The relationship between Hinata and myself is none of your concern."

"Oh but it is. _Everything_ that has to do with my fiance is of my concern."

" _Fiance_?" Sasuke snorted bitterly. "Is that what you are calling a contractual agreement now?"

"You can be as snarky as you wish Uchiha. It doesn't bother me." Gaara replied calmly. "In a few more months she will be my wife. The liberties you are taking right now will not be tolerated after tonight. This is the only warning I will give you."

 _His wife_. Gaara's wife. Hinata Sabaku. The sound of it made his stomach churn even worse than the woman's whose head was in the toilet. With a weak groan, Hinata opened her eyes briefly. Those pale lavender orbs peered up at him through thick black lashes, melting away the tension in his stomach. Her eyes didn't stay open for long. In the next breath, her eyes slid shut and she slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

"Hey!" Hanabi said happily as she skipped in the bathroom. "Neji's on his way home right now."

"Good." Sasuke grunted and picked the now sleeping Hinata up from the bathroom floor.

He cradled her carefully in his arms before bringing her over to her bed and laying her down.

"We should let her rest until Neji gets here." Hanabi whispered and grabbed an unwilling Gaara's wrist. "C'mon. Now they you aren't covered in vomit I need you to tell me what happened to make her so sick."

When the door shut behind them Sasuke let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Light from the moon filtered in through Hinata's open curtains, washing her pale skin silver.

 _Hinata is unhappy..._

Sasuke gently picked up the sleeping Hyuuga's hand and frowned at how light it felt. When he had held her close earlier he hadn't given much thought to it but now he could see how much weight she'd lost in a short period of time. The Uchiha squeezed her small hand in his before going back to the bathroom to retrieve the cold washcloth. He felt guilty that he hadn't realized sooner just how unhappy Hinata was. Was his continued pursuit making this harder on her?

The Hinata he'd gotten to know always put other's needs before her own and would never tell him that he was stressing her out. Mentally cursing, he returned to her bedside and pressed the cold cloth against her forehead. He had selfishly allowed himself to think that if he pushed hard enough, if he held out long enough, she would willingly defy her father and to return to him. Instead, he was only contributing to her stress and worries. His selfish desires were having an opposite effect than he had intended.

 **….**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 4:57 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

Hinata frowned as the early morning light filtered in her room. Her eyelids felt heavy and her tongue tasted sour in her mouth. She tried to will her body to move but it refused. The only thing she could do was turn her head slightly to the right even though it made her nauseous to do so. The effort was worth it for she was greeted with the sight of Sasuke Uchiha sleeping in a chair next to her. His body was slumped to the edge of her bed with his arms tucked underneath his balled up jacket. How did he get into her room? Was this some kind of dream? If it was she didn't want to wake up. Seeing him asleep was one of the pleasures she missed the most about their time together. When he was asleep he looked so vulnerable. Although 'beautiful' was not a term most would ascribe to a man, when he was sleeping Sasuke was the very definition of beauty. With great effort, she reached out her hand and her fingertips brushed the edge of his bangs. The sensation of her touch caused his eyes to immediately snap open and she was taken aback.

"You're awake." He said, his voice thick with fatigue.

"Am I?" She replied, not quite sure if she was actually conscious. Sasuke stood and leaned over the bed to press a rough hand against her forehead.

"You still have a fever." He mumbled to himself but she wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying.

All she could focus on was the warm sensation of his palm against her clammy skin. How she had missed the feeling of his hands. Her own hands trembled uncontrollably as she raised them up to cover his on her forehead. If this was a dream, she wanted to relish every moment of it.

"I'll tell the others you are awake." He said softly and tried to remove his hand from her weak grasp.

"N-no!" She stammered and looked up at him pleadingly.

She didn't want her dream to go. Him leaving meant having to actually wake up and face reality. The only time she got to spend with Sasuke in the ways she wanted was in her dreams, it was the last thing she was willing to give up.

"Don't leave me." Hinata whispered, eyes welling up with tears. "Not yet."

Sasuke smirked and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Who knew Hyuugas were crybabies."

Hinata blushed but she didn't care that he thought she was a 'crybaby'. He wasn't trying to leave the room and that was all that mattered. Carefully, he slid into the bed and pulled her into his lap. She hadn't even realized that she was still shaking until his arms wrapped around her and the trembling ceased. Her body relaxed quickly in his embrace until her heart rate matched his own.

 **….**

 **Sunday November 1 2017 10:00am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

Warm fingers caressed her face as though trying to memorize her features. They felt _different_ from what she was used to but not unpleasant. Her eyes slowly opened and were greeted by a room that was much brighter than before and the sight of Gaara hovering above her. Somehow seeing him made her feel disappointed. She'd childishly hoped that she hadn't been dreaming and that she actually had been held by Sasuke. Yet now that she was able to think more clearly it didn't make sense for Sasuke to be anywhere near the Hyuuga compound let alone inside of her room. It had been a nice dream though, one she would file away for later. She stared back up at Gaara's green eyes and tried to not let her disappointment be read on her face.

"Good morning." She whispered hoarsely.

"Hm." He mumbled with a nod of his head. "How are you feeling?"

Hinata blinked. She wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. Her throat felt raw and her body felt as though it had been run over several times. She had never felt this sick in her entire life.

"If I had known that shellfish made you sick I would have never taken you there. My apologies." He said firmly and Hinata was caught off guard.

She didn't remember much from the previous night, not even how she got into her bed. All she remembered was fainting at the table in the restaurant after the second round of crab based dishes had been served. Shellfish had never given her a problem before, in fact, she loved everything to do with crab. _Loved_ was the key word since just thinking about anything to do with it at the moment was sending another wave of nausea through her body. Fortunately, she must have expelled all of her organs the night before because bile didn't rise up. Gaara gave her had a small squeeze before standing up to leave.

"I have to return to Suna today." He said and she nodded her head weakly. "I will tell your family you are awake."

"I...I'm sorry for ruining our date." Hinata said softly. She truly was sorry.

Gaara leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Try to rest."

As the door closed behind him Hinata let out a shaky breath. She wasn't used to being so sick that it nearly incapacitated her. She would have to make a mental note to stay away from shellfish. Stretching out her sore limbs a bit, her leg bumped up against something foreign near the edge of her bed. Slowly she felt around under her sheets until she got a hold of the foreign object. She pulled it up and was immediately inundated with a familiar smell of cedar wood and soap. It was a smell that made heat pool in the pit of her stomach and her heart beat uncontrollably.

'It wasn't a dream.' She thought and somehow that knowledge made her feel better but it raised many questions along with it.

What was Sasuke doing at the Hyuuga compound? How long had been in her room? Why was-

"You're awake!" A voice squealed from the doorway. "Finally!"

Hinata shoved Sasuke's jacket back under her sheets just as Hanabi launched herself onto the bed. The teen wormed her way to her sister's side and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You had us all so worried!"

"Hanabi." Neji reprimanded as he entered the room. "You promised to let Hinata rest."

"I am letting her rest. " the girl said with a roll of her eyes. "She's laying down see!"

Hinata smiled weakly and patted Hanabi on top of her head.

"Sorry to worry you Hanabi."

"Ah! You're up!" Another feminine voice called out from behind Neji.

Hinata turned her attention away from her sister to see Tenten pop her head into the doorway. Neji blushed at the sound of her voice but gave no other acknowledgment that she had entered the room.

"Tenten?" Hinata gasped as the older woman walked up to the bed.

"The one and only! I came as soon as Neji called me but you've been out for hours. How are you feeling? Still nauseous?"

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. Neji had called Tenten? He must have been really worried to have done something like that. Hanabi shot her a look that clearly meant they were going to talk about this new development later.

"I'm just tired." She said and Tenten nodded her head.

"Sakura and Ino are on their way over with food and movies. You are spending the entire day in bed!"

"What? B-but-"

"No buts. You need to rest."

"I'm fine though." Hinata protested weakly. "You guys don't have to cancel your plans for the day for me."

"Hush." Tenten said as she took a seat on the edge of her bed. "You have taken care of all of us when we were sick. It's about damn time you let us return the favor."

Hinata smiled knowing that she wasn't going to be able to dissuade anyone in the room from their intentions. Tenten patted her leg affectionately through the sheets.

"C'mon. Since you're awake we should get you cleaned up."

 **…..**

 **Sunday November 1 2017 7:00pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Sakura and Ino squealed simultaneously. "So sweet!"

Hinata winced at their volume but didn't mind it. Seeing them so happy made her happy. Hanabi, on the other hand, was not a fan. She leaned up from her spot on Hinata's shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"You're friends are annoying."

The elder Hyuuga playfully patted the younger's cheek but didn't respond to the statement. Even though Sakura and Ino _were_ annoying at times, the presence of her friends had allowed her to feel much better by the end of the day. Currently, they were all sprawled out in her bedroom and watching a tried and true romantic comedy on the television. It was corny and for the most part unbelievable but it never failed to make the two most energetic women cry tears of joy. Those two were suckers for anything romantic.

"I'm so jealous! I just want someone to sweep me off my feet." Sakura whined as the credits scrolled quickly on the screen. "I haven't had a date in months."

"Maybe if you didn't devote so much time to your boss you would actually have time to date." Ino teased and Sakura threw a pillow at her face.

"Shut up. It's not like you're doing any better."

"Ha! That's what you think!"

"Ladies!" Tenten quipped, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Now is not the time for you two to be bickering. Hinata is supposed to be relaxed, remember?"

"Sorry, Hina." The two women said, slightly cowed by Tenten's warning.

Hinata smiled and shook her head. She didn't mind their bickering, most of the time it was really funny. Besides, she had enjoyed watching cheesy romance movies with the girls all day. She'd missed hanging out with them. Tenten swiped her phone screen awake and groaned.

"Ugh. I have to help open the coffee shop tomorrow morning." She said. "I'll have to leave now if I want to get any sleep. Do you feel any better Hinata?"

"Mhm!" Hinata nodded enthusiastically with a smile. She felt a lot better than she had that morning. "Please go home and rest. Thank you for keeping me company."

"Hinata." Sakura said. "Don't push yourself to come in tomorrow morning. Whatever stomach bug you've got will probably still linger in the morning. Just take the day off and I'll take care of everything."

"Sakura-"the Hyuuga started but her friend merely shook her head and Hanabi nudged her in her side.

"You work too much Hinata. Take tomorrow off." The girl said.

Hinata's shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. Even though she knew that she should spend another day in bed she didn't want to do that if it meant not being able to see Sasuke. She didn't want to draw any more concern from the others and so she nodded her head in agreement. Satisfied that Hinata was well enough without them, they packed up their things and made their way on to their respective homes. Upon their departure, the main house felt empty and the usual chilliness began to seep back into the home. Hanabi got up from the couch and began folding the blankets that were strewn out around the room. The girl wasn't moving as smoothly as she usually did and when she bent down it looked as though it hurt.

"Hanabi?" Hinata asked curiously. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" The girl blinked before smiling brightly. "Of course! I'm just a bit sore is all. Gym class was really intense the other day!"

Hinata narrowed her eyes skeptically but didn't push the subject further. Hanabi had been sneaking out a lot the last few months more than likely if she was sore it had nothing to do with the run of the mill high school gym class. Hanabi noticed the looks Hinata was giving her as she tossed one of the many pillows back onto the bed.

"Don't worry about me! A hot bath will put me right back to one hundred percent!" She said a bit too cheerily. "By the way...is that guy your boyfriend?"

"Guy?" Hinata asked blankly with a slight tilt of her head. What guy- oh Gaara!

Hinata blushed and lowered her eyes to where her hands were clasped in her lap. Technically speaking Gaara was more than her boyfriend, he was her fiance. Fiance was a term she wasn't quite comfortable using even in her own mind and boyfriend was just as bad. Hanabi placed the last pillow on her bed and sat at the edge.

"Hey, I'm just asking. No need to look like someone died." She huffed. "You guys always leave me out of the loop but you don't have to tell me anything I guess."

"Hanabi-" she started but the Hyuuga smiled and waved her off. Even though she was smiling, Hinata knew that her sister was hiding something from her.

"I'm just being a brat." She sighed playfully as she stood up and made her way towards the door. "Get lots of rest. Neji and I will probably check up on you often okay?"

Hinata nodded her head and sank down into her mattress when the door shut. Silence enveloped her room for the first time all day and she was finally left alone to her own thoughts. Outside of her window rain began to beat down on the glass in sheets. She hoped her friends were able to stay safe on the road getting home. Sighing, she curled into a ball and her shin brushed against where she had hidden Sasuke's jacket. Her heart rate began to pick up as she fished it out of her sheets and brought the material up to her nose. Her eyes slid closed as she took a deep breath, his scent filling her nostrils and calming her down.

"Sasuke." Hinata whispered breathlessly and sat upright.

She wished that he was here right now, holding her as the rain poured down outside. Guiltily she slid her arms through his jacket and relished the cool inner lining and how his scent engulfed her completely. Wearing his jacket shouldn't feel this good but it did. With a sigh, she laid back down and tried to recreate the fuzzy memory of him holding her earlier the morning, of his hands on her skin and his heartbeat in her ears. Sakura and Ino wished for someone to come and sweep them off their feet but they didn't realize the dangers that came with such a thing. They didn't realize that once that person had your heart you couldn't get it back.

As she slipped her hands into the coat pockets, her fingers brushed against a folded up piece of paper. Curiously she pulled the paper out of the pocket and unfolded it. The softness of the paper and the deep creases let her know that it was a well-used item in Sasuke's possession. She almost felt guilty about prying into his possessions but her own curiosity had been peaked too far to turn back now. She smoothed the paper out and quickly scanned the elegant handwriting that didn't belong to Sasuke. The writing was familiar to her but she couldn't quite place where she knew it from. The paper seemed to have a compiled list of rather obscure tasks that didn't seem to make sense like sky diving and walking on the beach. It was odd for Sasuke to even have a list like this. Chuckling at the mention of meringue dancing she turned the paper over to the other side. Her heart stopped as she recognized the writing on the other side to belong to Sasuke. Her fingers traced the sentences that had been crossed out and written over only to be crossed out again.

"What is this?"

 _ **To be continued...**_


	20. Again

**CCNote: A short little somethin somethin to bring us up to the point we need to be. I am updating today for two reasons. Reason one, I got a new couch and reason two because I love you! Thanks so much for everyone's continued support. It makes me so excited to see you guys excited! Still no BETA so please excuse mistakes I've missed!**

 ** _To the reviewer who thinks I'm greedy for reviews:_ Okay and so what? Doesn't every author want feedback on what they write? Honestly speaking if no one reviewed this story I wouldn't know anyone actually cared about it. Feedback helps me improve as a writer and I DO care what you guys think. HOWEVER, I have NEVER EVER withheld chapters based on how many reviews I've gotten. I have NEVER said I'll only update if I get X number of reviews. There are plenty of authors who do that but I am not one of them. I update AT LEAST once a week and at most three times a week regardless of the number of people who have reviewed. If I had a review quota I would never update as quickly as I do now would I? I only remind folks to leave feedback and it does help me write faster when I know people are cheering me on and excited about the story. If you think that I'm holding this story hostage though you are sorely mistaken. I encourage you to continue to read this story and I hope you do enjoy it. If you don't want to review you don't have to but don't try to make me feel bad or say that I am holding this story hostage. That's not fair to me as an author. I respect the fact that you do not want to leave a review so please give me that same respect and not make false claims.**

 **Anywho, rant over. Please enjoy!**

 **Again**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 7:39 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

 _"What is this?"_

Hinata bit her bottom lip as her eyes tried to make out some of the hastily crossed out words on the back of the paper. Frowning, she turned on her bedside lamp since the sun had quickly set and Sasuke's own handwriting was not as legible as the other side's had been. Even with the aid of the light, it was still difficult to make out what he had written.

 _Pros...stubborn, kind, patient. Cons...too stubborn, too kind, too patient. Hates...nothing...something...no, actually hates nothing. Frightens easily. Easy to tease. Naive..._

What was this supposed to be? More specifically, _who_ was this supposed to be about? Her heart began to pound loudly in her ears, drowning out the sound of the rain and panic set in. It looked as though he was describing another woman. That was okay, right? It shouldn't come as a surprise to her that he would have moved on to someone else but why did it hurt to read these words? She had her own fiance that she needed to learn to love. She had no right to feel this way.

Angrily she folded the paper back up and put it back into Sasuke jacket pocket. She should have never read his personal items anyway. She pulled off his jacket as well, saddened by the loss of its warmth. She could still smell him on her skin and that fact made her feel even worse. Another woman knew what he smelled like and she probably felt comforted by it. She didn't care or more so she _shouldn't_ care. Whoever Sasuke was with now was none of her concern. Although, now that she thought about it, it was rather odd for him to move on so quickly. Just what made this woman so special to have gotten his attention? Against her better judgment, she fished the note back out again and unfolded it.

 _Terrible liar. Sensitive. Can't hold her liquor. Ticklish. Snores in her sleep. Bea-_

Hinata's eye twitched. Sasuke had already _slept_ with this woman. The idea of them together made her blood boil. Did he call out that woman's name the way he said hers? Were they together right now? Blushing she crumpled the note up in her fist and chucked it at the wall. Stupid note shouldn't even be here. Stupid Sasuke had no business being at the Hyuuga compound anyway and had the nerve to leave behind his stupid jacket. His stupid jacket with his stupid smell and his stupid note.

Petulantly, she pushed his jacket off of the bed and buried her face in her pillow. It didn't matter who Sasuke was now sleeping with. Why did it hurt so much though? Why did she want to cry at the mere thought of him being happy with someone else? Smiling at someone else? Potentially loving someone else? She had never felt this jealous or this angry when she was with Naruto. Seeing him smile at Ino in the coffee shop had made her genuinely happy. The idea of Sasuke smiling like that at another woman only made her recovering stomach flip uncomfortably. She had to get rid of these emotions. Love had no place in the furthered success of the Hyuuga line. Love was only a weakness.

"Only a weakness." She whispered sadly to herself.

Sasuke clearly didn't have any qualms about moving on to another person even after he said that he wouldn't. Even after he had declared that he wanted only her. Sasuke was a liar. Glaring at his jacket on the floor, Hinata sat upright with a new sense of anger in the pit of her stomach. Quickly, she threw on his jacket and arranged the pillows underneath her sheets to make it appear as though she were still sleeping there in case her sister or cousin came in to check on her. She picked up the balled up note as well and shoved it into a jacket pocket before heading to her closet to find a pair of tennis shoes.

 **…..**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 9:25 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Sasuke go to bed." Itachi groaned as he knocked loudly on the other side of the door.

"Go away." He shouted back over the sound of his own strumming.

Itachi let out a frustrated huff but did eventually go away. He didn't care that he was disturbing his older brother's sleep. He didn't care that he had work in the morning and should probably head to bed himself. All he cared about were the vibrations between his legs from his cello and the desperation that he felt to think of anything _but_ Hinata and Gaara.

 _'In a few months, she will be my wife.'_

Dammit. How far had he fallen for the Hyuuga heiress that Gaara's words would affect him like this? He hated feeling powerless and out of control. He hated feeling like he'd lost. He hated leaving her sick and alone in her bed but it would have only caused problems if they had been seen by anyone.

 _'My wife.'_

Hinata becoming someone else's wife and bearing that man's children made him want to hit something. He knew that the arrangement hadn't been initiated per her own choice but she had made a decision to follow what her father had said. She had agreed to marry him. Whether there were genuine feelings between them or not Hinata was agreeing to the marriage of her own volition. Gaara's possessiveness of Hinata also indicated that this was more than just paperwork for him. Sasuke wasn't an idiot. He could see that Gaara was actually interested in Hinata in his own weird way.

Sasuke winced at the sour note he made, he released his grip on the neck and flexed his fingers. It was only a few hours ago that he'd received a message from Kakashi that two stubborn holdouts remained among the shareholders. Soon they would be bought out of their shares and he would hold the largest influence over Hyuuga matters outside of Hiashi himself. Yet, as he continued to butcher the piece he was trying to play, he couldn't help but feel that the effort had been for naught. If Hinata actually _wanted_ to marry Gaara who was he to stand in her way? He had no idea what had transpired when she'd gone to Suna. Maybe she had fallen for Sabaku. The idea caused him to press down a little too hard with his bow and the screech that came with it was ear splitting.

"Sasuke!" Itachi shouted through the door.

"Go away!" Sasuke replied but Itachi did not retreat this time. Instead, he picked the lock and flung the door open. "What the hell Itachi?"

"Don't what the hell me when you have been playing sad songs for the better part of the evening." Itachi chided as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Hn." The younger brother grunted but continued to play.

Itachi strode angrily through the room and snatched his bow right out of his hand, the screech of it sliding roughly against the string reverberated off the walls. He tossed the bow onto the bed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't know what your problem is. You won't tell me. However, I will not allow you to continue to sulk in this room. Since you have the energy you should burn it off elsewhere." The eldest said and Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Naruto will be here soon to drag your sorry ass somewhere and hopefully pry whatever is bothering you out."

"I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are."

"It's fucking raining Itachi."

"I don't care. Get your ass dressed before he gets here."

With that Itachi stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind him. Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He had no desire to leave the house and he certainly wasn't in the mood to entertain Naruto for hours on end.

"I don't hear you getting dressed!" Itachi shouted from somewhere in the house.

Sasuke knew that his brother meant well but he was a pain in the ass. At least if he left he wouldn't have to deal with his hovering and prying. Sighing, he went to his closet and pulled on the first pair of jeans and a light sweater he could get his hands on. It didn't matter how he looked he just needed something better than the faded sweatpants he was currently wearing. He barely had time to pull his shirt off when the faint sound of the doorbell cut through the rain outside.

"Fuck." Sasuke cursed and tossed the shirt onto the bed with his bow.

When the hell did Itachi call Naruto for him to arrive so quickly? The door bell continued to ring incessantly as he reached to put on his jeans. He was going to murder Naruto for his persistence and Itachi for not even bothering to answer the door. Grunting, he left the clothes he was going to change into on his bed and stalked through the ringing apartment in only his sweatpants. In his mind, Sasuke imagined kicking Naruto in the gut and throwing him off the penthouse balcony into the storm. The blonde idiot would likely survive the fall, Naruto had always been a quick healer.

"I'm coming for fuck's sake!" He shouted over the thunder that rolled through outside and the doorbell.

He yanked open the door prepared to punch Naruto in the face but instead was greeted with the sight of the woman who had put him in such a foul mood in the first place. There she stood shivering and soaked to the bone. Her dark hair ran like ink down her face and shoulders, contrasting greatly against her pale skin. Clutched to her chest was a dripping ball of black material he faintly recognized.

"Hyuuga."

 **….**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 9:47 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Hinata squared her shoulders back as she stared directly into the eyes of her business partner. She didn't care that she likely looked like a drowned rat or that at any moment she was likely to faint. No. She had to get this off of her chest. She had to get rid of this weakness. Even though she would never get her heart back she had to at least reclaim her sanity. Abruptly she shoved his drenched jacket into his bare chest.

"Here." She said flatly but he did not accept it.

"What are you doing here Hyuuga?" He asked and seemed thoroughly perplexed to see her on his doorstep. Frustrated she pressed the wet material into his torso in hopes that he would take it.

"Here."

"Hyuuga, you're sick. Why are you here?"

"Here!"

"Hinata!" He replied, his tone slightly raised made her take a step back. "You are only going to get sicker if you stay out here. Are you an idiot or something?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip at the statement. Maybe she was an idiot. She had come all the way there for what? To return a jacket? A stupid jacket that smelled like him and contained a stupid note of his observations of his newest infatuation? He probably had her in there right now. Why else would he answer the door without a shirt on? The jacket slipped from her weak grasp and fell onto the penthouse balcony with a wet plop. The sight of it at her feet made her eyes begin to sting with the herald of tears. No! She wouldn't cry. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry! In her right hand, she clutched the wet note that listed all of the things Sasuke noticed about his new lover. All of that woman's qualities that seemed to have captured his attention.

"Hinata." Sasuke said, this time much more gently. "Come inside."

The small woman shook her head. She didn't want to go in there where his new lover was. She didn't want to see the woman who had taken her place. She was replaceable, she had told Sasuke that herself only a few weeks ago. Why did it still hurt though? She turned on her heel to leave but Sasuke grabbed her wrist. Weakly she tried to wrench her limb from his grip but her body was still too fatigued to put up a good fight. He pulled her inside of the penthouse and slammed the door behind her.

"Sasuke please." She mumbled as she tried to reach for the doorknob. "Please. I-I just wanted to return your j-jacket. Let me go."

"You're not leaving until the storm is over-"

"No! I know she's here. Just let me go."

Sasuke let go of her wrist at that statement and she clutched her hand close to her chest.

"What are you talking about?" He growled and her eyes lowered to the puddle she was creating in the foyer.

"I...I know I shouldn't have looked."

"Looked at what?"

She didn't say anything, only unclenched her fist to reveal a wet ball of paper. Sasuke took what was left of his soaked note from her possession. Despite how carefully he tried to unfold it, it still ripped in his hand. The ink had run, rendering whatever was written illegible. Sasuke dropped what was left of the note on the floor.

"So you came all this way in the rain, sick, because you thought I'd found someone else?"

Hinata continued to stare at her feet. It sounded incredibly stupid when he said it out loud. Sasuke cupped her face with both hands and tilted her head back so that she could look him in the eye. His hands felt incredibly warm against her cold skin but she swatted them away. His dark eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a tight line. Her entire body felt like it was shaking as a flurry of emotions flashed through Sasuke's eyes. Anger, hurt, jealousy, sadness. It was her fault he was in pain. She should have never come here.

"You are jealous of _my_ being with another woman but yet _you_ are the one that is getting married."

"I don't want to marry Gaara!" She blurted out before she could stop herself. The tears she had been holding back finally began to fall and there was nothing she could do to stop them. "I don't want to! When I'm with him all I think about is _you._ When he kisses me all I want is _you._ I hate it!"

"Hinata-" he started, taking a step closer but she shook her head. Her hands were clenched into tight fists at her sides and her nails dug deep into her palms.

"I hate that I'm not able to be good to my family. I hate that I'm so weak that this is all that I can do. I hate it! I hate that I can't get rid of my feelings and the thought of you with someone else hurts more than I care to admit. I hate everything but most of all I hate that I'm in love with you!"

Her chest heaved as the last word left her lips. Sasuke stared at her, utterly dumbfounded by her angry confession. Her face turned red as she realized what she had said and her hands flew to cover her mouth. The look on his face did not go away as silence surrounded them and her secret hung in the air. The secret that she had kept close to her heart and tried to smother. He took a step closer and she stepped back only to find her back bump up against the front door.

"Again." He said, his voice tense with disbelief.

Hinata shook her head. She didn't understand what he wanted from her. All she wanted to do was to run away and forget that she had ever said anything.

"Say it again." He growled and pressed her up against the door.

Her bottom lip trembled as she started to put the pieces together. She didn't want to say it. She didn't want to embarrass herself further than she already had yet as she stared up at him she knew the words she had uttered to be true. Against her better judgment. Against her duty to her family. She was undeniably, unequivocally in love with him.

"I love you." She said breathlessly as he cradled her face with two hands and this time she didn't push him away. He leaned down and kissed her damp forehead.

"Again."

"I love you."

Tears continued to stream down the Hyuuga's cheeks as Sasuke slowly kissed every inch of her face. His kisses set fire to her cold skin wherever they landed causing her to feel light headed. When his lips had reclaimed every inch he finally captured her own lips. The kiss was chaste but it was enough to spark a flame in both of them. It was the same spark that had occurred the first time they'd kissed on the bridge. The very same spark that kept them coming back to each other for more, neither one of them ever fully satisfied. His fingers tangled themselves in her wet hair and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Again."

"I love you."

 **….**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 10:47 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Itachi frowned as he heard the doorbell ring for the second time that night. He could have sworn Sasuke had already answered the door earlier when Naruto had arrived. The doorbell rang nonstop then and he was not about to answer the door, he didn't want to get tangled up in the antics of his sulky little brother and his rambunctious friend. Instead, Itachi had opted to put his head phones in and drown out the ringing. His music, coupled with the raging storm, had allowed him to tune out whatever argument they were likely to get into before Sasuke eventually yielded. Now, almost an hour later, the penthouse was quiet save for their new visitor. With a sigh, he got up from his bed and made his way towards the front door. More than likely Sasuke had forgotten his key.

"Foolish little brother." He grumbled under his breath and yanked open the front door.

"Hey!" Naruto said with his fingers already poised to ring the doorbell again. "Sorry, I'm late. There's a lot of traffic with this storm!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. If Naruto was just now arriving then who had rung the doorbell earlier? Worriedly, Itachi left the blonde standing confused in the door way as he made his way to the other side of the penthouse where Sasuke's room was located. There weren't any more screeches or depressed notes flowing down the hall. Had he left with the visitor from earlier? He reached out to open his brother's door but paused as the sound of faint feminine moans reached his ears.

"Sasuke! More!" The muffled voice moaned causing Itachi to take a step back from the door.

Itachi rarely blushed but the sound of the voice turned his entire face red. He took another step back and made to return to where Naruto was. Sasuke was unlikely to end his activities anytime soon. Unfortunately, Naruto had not stayed near the front door like a respectful house guest should. Instead, after being left alone for less than two minutes he'd gotten bored and traipsed down the hall to find Itachi.

"Is that bastard sleeping or something?" He grumbled. "I came all the way here, in the rain, and he can't even stay awake? Pft! Some nerve!"

"Naruto-" Itachi started and tried to block the man's path to the door but he had already twisted the door knob. Itachi instantly regretted ever calling him for assistance.

"Don't worry Itachi! I'll be gentle on _wittle_ Sasuke!" He chuckled under his breath and threw open the door. "Hey, Sasu-"

The blonde's words caught in his throat as he took in the sight in front of him. Long slender legs were wrapped around his brother's waist as he roughly thrust into their owner. There were red welts on his back where her nails had made trails but Sasuke didn't seem to mind. Both parties were so caught up in themselves that they didn't realize they had company. Hinata moaned into their kiss and it seemed to return Naruto to his sense.

"Hinata?" He said questioningly as though he didn't believe that the woman he was seeing right now was actually her.

Hinata's eyes immediately flew open and Sasuke froze in place at the sound of his voice. She stared at the blonde with large pale eyes, her slightly swollen lips parted.

"Naruto?!"

 **To be continued...**


	21. I Love You

**CCNote: Okay, I lied. THIS is the last chapter before we FINALLY get to the events that had been previously set in motion. I was not expecting such a positive response to the last chapter! Sorry for inundating you with too many updates!**

 ** _To the reviewers wondering about pieces that feel like fluff:_ yea they are kinda fluffy but they will all have a greater significance later. Take for example Sasuke going to Ino's shop to buy Hinata flowers. That seemed pretty fluffy and unnecessary at the time right? Well, it led to Sasuke actually visiting again and asking Ino for romance advice. That note Ino gave him was the same note Hinata found in Sasuke's jacket pocket. That note led to her confronting Sasuke and actually confessing her feelings. That initial seed planted with Sasuke and Ino's first meeting is what lead to the culmination of the last chapter. I can't give you more examples than that because that thread of the story has come into bloom. The other seeds I've planted will grow as well and everything will end up making sense in the end. Anything that feels a bit fluffy know that it will come into greater play later. I promise you will like it!**

 ** _To the reviewers who sent me PMs on previous chapters:_ you guys are friggin awesome! I loved your messages!**

 ** _To the reviewers wondering about the events that occurred before the revisions:_ Some events will stay, some may be deleted. Just know that the ending remains the same. I am honored that you guys have stuck it out pre and post revisions. That means a lot to me.**

 ** _FINALLY to the reviewer who never ceases to tell me to kill myself:_ Sorry bruh. Red wine is too good for me to off myself early. Imma just keep drinking and die slowly instead. I hope you're okay with that.**

 **This chapter was powered by your favorite sponsor Cabernet Savingon and 'A Tale of 2 Citiez'. Don't forget to leave a review. Enjoy!**

 **I Love You**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 10:50 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

 _"Naruto?!"_

"What the fuck? Get out!" Sasuke hissed at the two intruders. Itachi slunk into the hallway but Naruto remained.

Hinata stared in shock at the blonde whose mouth was wide open and appeared to be in just as much shock as she was. His entire face was bright red as he stiffly turned in the opposite direction but did not leave the room. Sasuke quickly pulled out of her and threw his sheets over her naked body. Frantically she wrapped the sheet around herself and clutched the dark blue material to her chest. Her entire body felt as though it was on fire and not in a good way.

"Sasuke what the hell is going on here?" Naruto demanded as he turned back around just in time to see Sasuke unabashedly grab his sweatpants from off the floor next to the bed and pull them on.

"Why are you here?" He growled and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Itachi called me earlier because apparently, you're on another one of your 'episodes'!" He shouted and Sasuke glared at his older brother who was trying to edge himself out of the situation. "Don't try to change the subject! What the hell are you doing to Hinata?"

"I think that should be fairly obvious." Itachi coughed before retreating down the hall.

Hinata's eyes darted back and forth between the two remaining men who gave off intense emotions in waves. What in the world was Naruto doing here and why would Itachi call _him_ of all people? As far as she knew they barely associated with each other. Had they gotten close after the Signing? She pulled the sheet up a little higher and willed her heart to calm. The familiar feeling of her fingertips tingling began to set in as it became increasingly difficult to breathe.

"H-h-how-" she stammered but her attempts to speak were ignored by the two men arguing.

"I thought you guys were just business partners?! This is _not_ the kind of thing 'business partners' do or am I missing something?" Naruto growled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wait-"

"You'd think you were my keeper. I don't have to tell you everything." Sasuke countered.

"Telling me you're fucking my ex-girlfriend is kinda one of the things you tell your best friend about!"

Hinata's heart stopped. No. It wasn't possible. This had to all be some sort of fever dream. Not only did these two know each other well enough for Naruto to consider the Uchiha a close friend, Sasuke already _knew_ about the connection between the three of them. Why hadn't he told her? Her breathing seized along with her heartbeat and the final vestiges of energy she had vanished from her body. The last thing she remembered before passing out were the two friends shouting her name.

 **…..**

 **Sunday, November 1, 2017, 11:15 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Hinata!" Sasuke said as the girl fell back onto the bed.

He lifted her torso in his arms, careful not to let the sheet slip, and tried to gently shake her awake but it was no use. Naruto crossed the room in an instant. He propped up a few pillows before taking the unconscious woman from Sasuke's arms and laying her back down again. He pressed two fingers just underneath her nose and let out a breath of relief.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke asked through clenched teeth.

"She's fainted." Naruto said. "Luckily she didn't get a nose bleed this time."

"What do you mean this time?" The raven asked, still irritated by Naruto's close proximity and pushed him away slightly with his foot. Naruto narrowed his eyes incredulously but stood up.

"Che. You really don't know her, do you? She faints when she's overstimulated. She'll wake up in a few minutes on her own."

With that, he left the room but Sasuke knew that the blonde was not going to leave the penthouse until he pried every last detail out of him. Sighing, Sasuke pressed his palm against Hinata's forehead and was relieved that her fever hadn't returned. It hadn't been the best idea to be intimate with each other when Hinata was still sick but neither one of them had been thinking clearly. He pushed a few errant strands of hair off of her face and admired how relaxed she looked as her chest rose and fell in her sleep. As much as he would have enjoyed watching her for a bit longer he knew it was best to face Naruto now or he'd be up all night. In all fairness to the blonde, he should have told him much sooner. Finding out that your best friend was with your ex-girlfriend was preferably done when all parties were fully clothed.

He gave Hinata one last worrying look before heading out of his room to confront Naruto. Hopefully, by the time he was done kicking Naruto out she would be awake. The blonde in question had already rummaged through their liquor stash in the kitchen and had made himself comfortable with a bottle of whiskey on their living room couch. Sasuke made a move to snatch the bottle out of his hands but the man was too quick. He hugged the bottle close to his chest and frowned at the Uchiha.

"I need something to erase the image of your naked ass from my mind." Naruto said grumpily and took a big gulp from the bottle. "I'm going to have nightmares now."

"You shouldn't barge into rooms without knocking first dumbass. Your parents clearly never taught you any manners."

"Well, at least I don't fuck my friend's ex."

"Yeah, you fuck your ex's friend instead. You do _not_ have a moral leg to stand on here."

Naruto glared at him and took another large gulp of bitter liquid. Sasuke did not feel bad about his quip at all. It was a low blow but he was not going to allow Naruto to think that he did not have his own dirt to cover up. The blonde wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he let out a low belch.

"For your _information,_ I have not fucked Ino." He said and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Then you are an even bigger idiot than I thought." He countered and Naruto spluttered a moment before regaining his mental bearings.

"Don't try to change this onto me." He huffed and stood up from the couch to stand eye to eye with Sasuke. "You do not understand who you are dealing with. Hinata is not someone you can just fool around with. Don't waste her time."

"Hn." The Uchiha snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "If I recall you wasted her time for almost three years-"

"Seriously Sasuke. How long has this been going on? A couple of weeks?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned towards the kitchen to find a bottle of whiskey that wasn't already co-opted by Naruto. The blonde trailed behind him, drawing conclusions from his lack of a response.

"More than a few weeks? A month? After the Signing?"

Sasuke frowned, Naruto had grabbed their last bottle of whiskey and all that was left were various kinds of brandy. The raven's lip curled at the thought of actually drinking what he considered only a little more appealing than gasoline. It was Itachi's drink of choice so they kept it in the house but Sasuke's seriously questioned his brother's tastes.

"Was it _before_ the Signing?"

Seeing the brandy also reminded him that it was Itachi who had put him in this situation in the first place and had now made himself scarce. Sasuke smirked; if Itachi wanted to inconvenience him he could do it right back. Without a second thought, he unscrewed a brand new bottle of expensive brandy and poured it down the kitchen drain.

"What the fuck man it started before the Signing didn't it?" Naruto accused. "You should have said something back then. _Before_ then!"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders as the last of the liquor escaped and set the now empty bottle on the granite countertop. He opened another bottle of brandy, this one, in particular, was a usual go to for Itachi and he would be pissed to find it gone.

'Good.' He thought and watched the liquor swirl down the drain before responding to Naruto tirade.

"It wasn't that serious before the Signing." He said tensely.

"So she's just a plaything to you? I thought you were better than that. She deserves better than that."

"Naruto." Sasuke snapped and the blonde deflated slightly. Somehow he knew that he had crossed a line. He didn't back down though. Instead, he set the bottle of whiskey on the counter and leaned against the fridge.

"She's supposed to marry Gaara. This is going to cause a shit storm if it gets out."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"You could have any girl you want but Hinata is not one of them. You _will_ end up hurting her and when that happens I will have to hurt you."

Sasuke stopped midway through pouring out the third bottle of brandy when he set the container down.

"You sound really protective for someone who claims that they were not in love." He sneered. "Don't tell me that you've suddenly changed your mind about that."

"Sasuke." Naruto sighed. "Of course I love Hinata."

The Uchiha's fingers curled around the neck of the bottle as Naruto's words stabbed him in the back. If Hinata knew that Naruto was in love with her would she go back to him? Three years of history isn't something that could be easily erased. Just when he thought he was progressing forward he took two steps back.

"I love her but I'm not _in love_ with her." Naruto continued. "I love you too believe it or not but I will not let you toy around with her or hurt her. I've seen you break hearts before. She does deserve better than that."

"Sasuke." A small, soft voice called from the entrance to the kitchen.

Both men turned around quickly to see Hinata standing awkwardly in one of Sasuke's old t-shirts that almost came down to her knees. Her fingers fiddled with the edge of the material, giving away her nervousness but she maintained eye contact with Sasuke. It was almost unnerving how determined she looked as she crossed the kitchen to where he stood by the sink. She stood on her toes and leaned up as far as she could to press a soft kiss against the raven's tense jaw.

"Hinata-" he started but she shook her head and turned to Naruto who's own anger had relented as he watched their interaction.

"Sasuke can't promise that he will never hurt me." She said softly with her hands clutched tightly against her chest. "No one can promise that to anyone. I...I don't know what to do about everything that is going on right now but I do know that Sasuke has been good to me so far and I'm happy when I'm with him. S-so please don't yell or fight anymore!"

Naruto sighed and ran an exasperated hand through his hair before opening his arms wide. Hinata immediately walked into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and held her small frame against his own.

"I'll still kill him if he makes you cry. He's a downright bastard ya know." Naruto chuckled and Hinata gave him a quick smack between his shoulder blades. "Okay, okay, I'll only kill him a little bit."

Sasuke's eye twitched as Naruto stuck his tongue out at him from over Hinata's head. Even though the hug was platonic he still didn't like the blonde being that close to Hinata. He didn't want anyone to be that close and besides she needed to be resting in bed anyway.

"Hinata." He said and the girl let out a muffled squeak of acknowledgment from where her face was buried in Naruto's chest. "You should get back to bed."

"Hey, hey!" Naruto laughed and squeezed Hinata tighter. "Sasuke don't be a buzzkill. Hinata can stay up if she wants to oooor are you jealous hmmmmmmm?"

"Hn. Jealous of an idiot? Never." Sasuke snorted and returned to disposing of his brother's liquor. Naruto was not fooled by his evasion.

"Ha, I knew it! You're jealous!"

"No."

"Hinata! Quick, kiss my cheek too! He might explode!"

 **…..**

 **Monday, November 2, 2017, 1:00 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Sasuke." Hinata whispered into the darkness. "Are you asleep?"

The Uchiha rolled over onto his side to face her even though he couldn't see much more than her silhouette. Once they had managed to finally get rid of Naruto they returned to his room. Both were too exhausted to do much more than crawl into the bed. Her small hand fumbled around to reach him and so he grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her towards his own body. She let out a sigh of satisfaction and burrowed into his warmth. Silence returned to the room and Sasuke felt his eyelids grow heavy. He had missed this the most.

"Sasuke." She whispered. "I don't know how to get out of the contract. I-"

"Hyuuga." he said cutting her off with a clumsy kiss in the dark. "Contract or no contract, you are mine."

Hinata squirmed a bit in his arms, dissatisfied with what he said.

"That is not a legally binding way of thinking."

"Hn."

At the moment Sasuke didn't care to think about how he was going to break the marriage contract. That would be settled in the morning when he had his wits about him and a cup of coffee. All he wanted to focus on now was how soft Hinata felt in his arms and how her heartbeat matched his own.

"Sasuke." She whispered once more and he grunted to let her know that he was listening. "If...if I belong to you, who do you belong to?"

The Uchiha chuckled under his breath and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You ask silly questions."

She huffed at his response and rolled over so that her back was to him. He imagined the Hyuuga woman pouting in the dark with a face redder than a cherry. He placed a hand on hip and dragged her back to lay against him. She squeaked in surprise but did not move away. Sasuke pressed his lips just behind her ear, nuzzling the shell with the tip of his nose.

"I'm yours."

 **...**

 **Friday, November 6, 2017, 2:15 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

'You've got this!' Hinata thought to herself as she moved up a spot in the line. 'You can do this. There is nothing to be nervous about!'

To her left and right small groups conversed among themselves, strategizing and cutting looks at her. Not only was she one of the children of the heads of the company they were trying to woo, she was the enemy. Everyone had expected that their own firms would have to go up against each other but none of them had expected to in the running with the Hyuuga heir apparent. To many of them, putting forth a proposal now probably looked like a lost cause. Hinata did her best to ignore their pointed stares and not so low whispers and focus on what she would say when she walked into the room. The door to the office opened relatively quickly and a small team of three walked out with a crestfallen look on their faces and their diorama in tatters. Another group was quickly called into the room and the rejected trio scrambled to get out of the eager group's way. One of them, a dark haired woman, tapped her two male colleagues on the shoulder and jerked her head in Hinata's direction.

"I bet they're holding out for her." She whispered loudly and her colleagues furiously nodded their heads in agreement.

Hinata looked past them and moved further up the shrinking line. It didn't matter what they thought. Her proposal for the new headquarters was good, or at least she thought so. She hadn't really bounced any ideas off of anyone else for it but she was confident that it was better than the ones Sasuke had previously shown her. She closed her eyes and tried to tune out the negative energy around her. She took a deep breath.

'I can do this.'

"Hinata Hyuuga!" The secretary called and the woman in question's eyes sprung open.

She looked to her left and right, surprised to find that the room was now empty. Quickly, she gathered her things and followed the secretary through the door to the meeting room. Inside were only her father and Fugaku sitting on opposite ends of the long conference table. She had expected the seats to be filled with the usual stuffy shareholders but none of them were in attendance. She knew that Sasuke was in a meeting which was why he wasn't there but Itachi and Neji were also absent. Without the presence of their familiar faces, she felt some of her confidence slip. Maybe she should have told them she was making a proposal. If she had they would have shown up right?

"Ms. Hyuuga." Fugaku said stiffly, breaking Hinata from her thoughts.

She bowed deeply to both men as she had always been taught. The secretary handed the company heads two thick packets of Hinata's proposal for the headquarters before hurriedly shuffling out of the room and closing the door. Hinata held her breath as the men flipped through her papers quickly in silence, neither one of them giving any indication of their thoughts as they did so. Fugaku was the first to finish as he leaned forward in his chair.

"I do not recall you having a background nor an interest in architecture Ms. Hyuuga." He said blandly and Hinata nodded.

"I do not."

"We have seen many proposals today. How is your's any better."

"I-I...um... I-"

"Hinata." Hiashi interrupted harshly. "We do not have all day."

Hinata's mouth felt dry and her palms were sweaty as the Uchiha patriarch stared her down. She had not had much interaction with him previously and his mere presence made her feel intimidated. He looked her over with cold calculating eyes rendering the effect of her seeming almost insignificant. Those same obsidian eyes were ones that both Itachi and Sasuke possessed.

'Sasuke's eyes.' She thought. If she just pretended she was talking to Sasuke she wouldn't feel as though her throat was closing up. Squaring her shoulders back, she looked Fugaku in the eye and flipped to the first page of her proposal packet.

"I...I have worked with both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha for a few months now. I know what our end of the merge needs to function smoothly with the Uchiha. An outside source, like the ones you have brought in, has no idea the day to day difficulties of working with two separate entities that need to come together. Especially when those entities are as unique as the Hyuuga and Uchiha. I know the kind of infrastructure needed to make this work."

"Hmmm." Fugaku said raising his eyebrows. "She sounds confident Hiashi. Let's look at your timeline and budget."

Feeling slightly bolstered by his words Hinata instructed them on which page to turn to and dove directly into her outline. The meeting itself went on for over an hour. Fugaku and her father were unrelenting with their line of questioning. They nitpicked every detail and were not afraid to shoot down anything that didn't quite agree with. It was no wonder some of the groups she had seen earlier had left the room almost shell shocked. When the last page of her packet had been picked through Fugaku pushed the papers away and leaned back in his chair.

"I need a drink." he grumbled before turning his attention to his counterpart across the table. "I find the proposal to be slightly underdeveloped but still feasible if we made some amendments. The idea for similar departments to coexist together versus on separate sites is the best option to avoid duplication on our part. Hiashi."

Hinata held her breath as her father closed her packet. Her father's approval was always elusive, only a handful of people were able to attain it.

"The budget is too small. There are bound to be cost overruns with the facilities that are being proposed to accommodate both companies. The timeline that we need the headquarters to be finished by is much shorter than what has been outlined here." Hiashi replied before turning to look at Hinata. "I fear that your perspective is much too close this project to be objective in such a large undertaking. You are incredibly naive in your outlook."

Hinata was tempted to bite her bottom lip as her father's words cut her like a knife but she refrained from the habit. She kept her eyes on him as he knitted his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.

"However, your proposal is passable." He said finally and Hinata's mask finally cracked. Her eye's widened and her lips twitched into a smile.

"Fa-father?" She said hesitantly and he nodded his head in approval.

"We will bring your proposal before the...others and see what they decide. I will say nothing more on it."

Hinata turned to look at Fugaku who also nodded his head in silent approval.

"You are dismissed Ms. Hyuuga."

She didn't need to be told twice to leave the room, her feet were already well ahead of her. She hurriedly gathered up her things and bowed as politely as she could through her excitement. Hinata knew that her proposal was likely to be paired up against the other ones the heads had approved of when they were presented later on to the missing shareholders. That was just one more hurdle to cross but for now, she felt victorious. A small part of her hoped that in the end, her idea would be the one that was chosen. That hope radiated out to every one of her extremities. She wanted to jump up and down but that would surely draw the ire of the secretaries. Instead, she opted to drop her stuff off in her office and hunt down a certain Uchiha.

 **.….**

 **Friday, November 6, 2017, 3:45 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"Things would run a lot smoother if your department _actually_ communicated important decisions like this instead of going over our heads all the time." A buxom blonde complained as she pushed the folder in front of her away.

"It's not my fault that your department is full of nothing but incompetent nobodies who are unable to decipher a line graph from a scatter plot."

Sasuke frowned as his employees continued to throw verbal jabs at each other. He wasn't quite sure why the women were being particularly vicious this afternoon but he couldn't get up the effort to care. To his right, Sakura tried to mediate between the two battling department heads but it was no use. Sighing, he tried to subtly roll his left shoulder which was still sore from his spar earlier in the week with Hanabi. He hadn't expected the girl to actually take him up on his offer to fight but he preferred her getting out her frustrations with him than what she had been doing. The girl was much stronger than he had expected but she, of course, was no match for him. She ended up on her back more times than not yet she always got back up for more. His body, however, was not what it used to be when he was her age and so while she was unable to do any real damage to him his muscles were strained in the attempt to get reacclimated to a hobby from long ago.

"Oh, Mr. Uchiha does your shoulder hurt?" A red head cooed two seats down from him. She popped up out of her seat and made her way to the head of the table with a wide smile on her face. "I bet your muscles are tense from all this stress. I can fix that of course. I give the best massages!"

Before Sasuke could even reject her offer Sakura had already caught the woman's wrist in a death grip. His secretary's green eyes were murderous, once again reminding him why he'd kept her around longer than anyone else.

"Kindly retake your seat _please._ " Sakura said through clenched teeth. The woman pressed her lips into a tight line and tenderly cradled her wrist once it was released.

"Continue." Sasuke said and all heads bent towards the next topic on their agenda.

They had barely gotten through the head of accounting's speech when the door to the conference room was opened. The Uchiha looked up from his paperwork, surprised to see a rather flushed looking Hyuuga staring back at him. His eyes quickly scanned over her to see if there was something physically wrong and upon finding no issue he had to wonder why she would barge in unannounced. It wasn't that her presence was unwelcome but it was unlike her to interrupt a meeting.

"Sasu- I mean Mr. Uchiha. I need to speak with you for a moment." She said, the tenseness in her voice making his rise from his chair.

"Hinata? Is everything okay?" Sakura asked and Hinata stiffly nodded her head.

"I just need to speak privately."

"Well, whatever it is it can it wait. If you haven't noticed we are right in the middle of something." The red head from earlier sniffed, clearly taking out her previous frustration on Hinata. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"That will be all for today." He said and several of his female employees whined while the men were all too eager to make an exit. "You are dismissed."

The Uchiha employees shuffled out of the room, some more quickly than others. Quite a few of the women grumbled under their breath but otherwise left without much more protest. When the last person left the room Hinata locked the door behind them and closed the blinds of the conference room's interior window.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked as Hinata turned around, this time a big smile on her face.

She didn't say a word as she crossed the conference room and threw her arms around his neck, forcing him down to a kissable height.

"Hina-" he started to say but any words he would have said were swallowed by her lips.

Sasuke Uchiha had never thought of himself as being one that was susceptible to the charms of women but Hinata was a clear exception to that rule. With her fingers threaded through his hair and her tongue embattled with his own, all coherent thought went out the window. He explored her mouth fully, relishing how sweet she tasted despite his usual disdain for all things sugary. When she finally broke their kiss for air he didn't let her go for more than a few seconds before he recaptured her lips. He grabbed her hips and lifted her up to sit on the conference table in front of him, settling easily between her legs. Hinata broke the kiss a second time and trailed her lips down his jaw and neck. Her mouth latched onto a space just above his shirt's collar and she bit down hard. He sucked in a sharp breath at the short stab of pain that was immediately soothed by her tongue.

"Sasuke." She whispered against his neck between short kisses. " I did it."

 _The proposal meeting._ His mind sharpened slightly at her statement and an immense feeling of pride rose within him. He grabbed a handful of her hair and gently pulled her away to look up at him. Her pale eyes shone with the same pride he was feeling. He knew that he wouldn't have to ask her how it went. Being that he was going to be the largest shareholder soon it was a given that her work would get approved. Still, he was proud that she actually tried. Sasuke smirked at that thought. This Hyuuga woman was making him soft. He placed a quick kiss on her lips before sliding his hands up her thighs, pushing the material of her skirt towards her waist. He hooked his fingers around her panties and yanked them down her legs, careful not to rip them but only just so. The flimsy lacy material fell to the conference room floor without a second thought from either party and Sasuke licked his lips at the sight of Hinata already dripping on the table. His cock twitched at the sight of her being just as eager as he was. He placed one last kiss to her lips before kneeling down between her thighs. Spreading her legs further apart, he kissed his way up to her warm center. He delighted in the way that she shivered with excitement, her body unconsciously arched towards him and allowed him greater access to his destination.

"Lay back Hinata." He growled and she complied with his demand obediently.

Her pussy was on full display in front of him. Pink and wet and twitching in anticipation. Sasuke rose just enough to sit back in his chair which he promptly pulled up to the edge of the table. Without any hesitation, he hooked her knees over his shoulders and grabbed her hips to bring her even closer. Slowly he placed a kissed against her center and she mewled against his lips. His tongue slid between her slick folds, lapping at her sensitive clit and creating moans he had not heard in a long time. She grew wetter under his ministrations, grinding possessively against his tongue and threading her fingers through his hair to bring him closer.

"Sasuke!" She moaned as he slipped a finger into her.

"Fuck." He growled as her walls clenched around his finger. She was tighter than he remembered.

Diligently he added a second finger to loosen her up enough to accommodate him. With his other hand, he skillfully unzipped his own pants and freed himself from its confines while still teasing her clit with his tongue. The minor irritation of his pants gone, he was able to fully focus on bringing Hinata to completion. Her walls clenched tightly around his fingers as her own hold on his hair lessened. Her body fell limp against the conference table, relishing in her orgasm. Precum slid down his cock as he watched her try to catch her breath. Slowly he kissed both of her thighs before standing again.

As Sasuke loomed over her, her eyes once more grew heavy with lust. None too gently her flipped her over to her stomach and admired how round her ass was. His hands squeezed both cheeks firmly and she jumped slightly in a mix of surprise and pleasure. Sasuke smirked, there was great potential in that response. For now, he merely guided his cock towards her wet entrance, unable to tease her much longer. He gripped her hips tightly and she arched back towards him, enticing him further with a shake of her hips. The next thing he knew he was hilt deep inside of her and his name was the only thing she could speak.

 **…..**

 **Friday, November 6, 2017, 4:50 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"Hey!" Sakura greeted as they returned to their office later on in the afternoon.

Hinata blushed as Sasuke's hand brushed slyly over her backside as he walked towards his desk. The Hyuuga glared at his smirking face. He held no remorse for his actions but luckily Sakura hadn't seemed to notice. The pink haired woman abandoned her paperwork and took up a seat on top of Hinata's desk.

"Did you guys get that important thing from earlier settled?" She asked.

Hinata furrowed her brows. What important thing? For a second her mind went blank but she quickly remembered the flimsy excuse she had used to disrupt the Uchiha department head meeting. Blushing, she nodded her head shyly and pretended to rifle through her drawers to look for something.

"Wanna tell me what it was all about?" Sakura asked curiously causing both ravens to freeze up. Sakura noticed their simultaneous reaction and pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "This is one of those company secret things isn't it?"

Hinata nodded her head quickly, hoping that her eagerness would hide her blush of embarrassment. Sasuke also gave a stiff nod of his head and it only served to deepen Sakura's put out mood.

"You guys are no fun."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	22. Even the Best Laid Plans

**CCNote:** **Alright, alright! So here is where we left off before the revisions. This chapter has a little bit of old, a little bit of new. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **IMPORTANT: The school year has officially started back up here in my city. That means I will be unable to write as freely as I have been. I know a lot of people follow this story without story alerts since I update fairly often (some may even say I update too much lol). Now that won't be the case. Definitely, put this story on alert so you get emails. I will TRY to update once a week but my students take priority so I can't make any promises but I still love ya'll.**

 **Thank you all for reading up to this point! I really appreciate all of your continued support. I am always flabbergasted at the reviews ya'll send and they really make me happy. Don't forget to leave a review at the end of this chapter too! Enjoy!**

 **Even the Best Laid Plans**

 **Monday, November 9, 2017, 8:57 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

 _"You guys are no fun."_

Hinata moaned, her back sliding against the slick tiled wall of the shower, as she tried to keep up with the rhythms of Sasuke's thrusts. The Uchiha's teeth grazed her neck, his tongue dipping out every so often to taste her wet skin. She knew that he was close to finishing. He always became much more forceful when he got to that point.

"Fuck." He hissed as she started to buck back against him to encourage his completion.

Soon enough her insides felt warm and his body went limp against her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. Slowly, Hinata unwrapped her legs from around his waist as he pulled out of her. She shivered at the loss of contact between them. Sasuke smirked at her reaction and grabbed a fistful of her wet hair. He pulled her head back and placed searing kisses all along her neck and jaw.

"If you keep this up we're are going to be late." She protested weakly.

"Then we will just have to be late." He rebutted, his mouth descending upon her right breast.

Automatically her fingers tangled themselves in his hair as his tongue teased her sensitive nipple. Sasuke was, in a word, insatiable.

"P-people will talk ah!" She moaned and his response was to gently nip at her breast.

"They will talk regardless."

His mouth released her right breast to give the same treatment to the left. His hands were everywhere at once causing her to lose focus and forget just what she was concerned about in the first place. She pulled his head away from her nipple and he looked up at her with dark frustrated eyes. That look alone was enough to push all moral thoughts from her mind.

"Lay back." She whispered and he raised an eyebrow but did as instructed.

She crouched down between his legs and tentatively took his cock in her grasp. It was already standing at attention, aching for another round. Without warning she straddled his hips and lowered herself onto him fully, eyes squeezing shut from the pleasurable sensation of having him back inside.

"Hinata." He moaned and she couldn't help but smile at the sound.

She was the only one who got to see the oh so intimating Sasuke Uchiha come undone in such a fashion. Hinata placed her hands on his shoulders and used them as leverage to begin moving her hips up and down. Sasuke rose slightly, resting his weight on his forearms as she took full control of his body. She leaned forward and captured his lips in a bruising kiss, bouncing on his cock all the while. He moaned into her mouth as her tongue dominated his. The warm water of the shower beat down over their bodies as they enjoyed each other repeatedly.

Hinata wasn't quite sure how long they stayed in the shower but by the time they arrived to work they had garnered quite a few concerned looks and questions. This was the first time that anyone had seen the Uchiha and Hyuuga late for work. That was fuel enough to start the churning of the rumor mills.

 **...**

 **Thursday, November 12, 2017, 6:31 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"I think you're doing that wrong." Hanabi chimed in from her seat at the kitchen island.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued sifting flour into a large mixing bowl. The teen's legs kicked back and forth as she rested her elbows on the countertop.

"You need to add more sugar or it will taste gross." she said, wrinkling her nose.

"Get back to your homework." Sasuke said and she cut her eyes at him.

She grumbled under her breath in protest but returned her attention to her open geography textbook. Sasuke eyed the sugar on the opposite end of the counter, contemplating whether the brat's suggestion was correct. He personally hated sugary things but Hinata didn't. She would probably prefer a sweeter cinnamon roll and Ino's destroyed note had said to be 'mindful of a woman's tastes'. Whatever the hell that meant. Begrudgingly, he grabbed the sugar container and poured in more. Hanabi grinned at him but didn't comment. Once the dry ingredients were thoroughly mixed together he gradually added in the wet. As he mixed the dough he glanced up at Hanabi who was only barely reading her textbook like she was supposed to be.

It was odd having her in the apartment again. The last time she was here she had played a key part in making it look like a blue bomb had gone off in the living room. He honestly hadn't expected her to ever cross the threshold again yet here she was taking the liberty of bossing him around his own kitchen. She had 'claimed' that she just wanted to visit with Itachi because he was older and 'way cooler' but Sasuke knew the real reason. She didn't have anywhere to go after their afternoon sparring match. Neji would be out of town until Saturday and her father, Hisashi, was hardly ever at home. Hinata spent most nights with him or at the office, leaving Hanabi to her own devices. The girl was a pain in the ass but he could understand why she didn't want to be alone. He had been left alone far too often when he was her age.

Soon the dough began to pull away from the sides of the metal mixing bowl, indicating that it was ready to be kneaded. He sprinkled the countertop with flour and poured the dough out of the mixing bowl. Hanabi gave up pretending to study in favor of watching him work.

"That's going to make a lot of cinnamon rolls." she observed and Sasuke gave her a curt nod. "Who are you making them for?"

"Hn."

"Can I have one when they're done?" she asked, reaching out a curious finger to poke the dough. He swatted her hand away and she pouted. "If they're not for someone special I don't get why I can't have one."

"Do your homework."

"It's boring. I'm never going to use any of it anyway."

Just then the front door opened and Hanabi immediately perked up. She jumped off of her bar stool and ran out of the kitchen.

"I'm home!" Itachi shouted from the foyer, the rustling of his briefcase and jacket accompanying him.

"Itachi!" Hanabi called back.

Unfortunately, the girl wasn't paying close enough attention and the heavy sound of her tripping over her own feet reverberated through the penthouse. Whereas Hinata was graceful and smooth in all of her actions, Hanabi was a mess of limbs constantly getting in their own way. When she wasn't fighting she was clumsy. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he listened to Itachi gush over his 'little firecracker' and how she should be careful when running through the house. Knowing that she had an edge over the older Uchiha, she complained at length about how Sasuke was hoarding all of the cinnamon rolls to himself. She returned to the kitchen riding high on Itachi's back and a smug look on her face.

"What's this I hear about cinnamon rolls?"

 **...**

 **Friday, November 13, 2017, 9:21 am**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata and Sakura gaped at the giant box of cinnamon rolls that sat on her desk. The transparent top gave the women a peek at the thick icing that coated the confectioneries inside. Sakura walked up to the box and opened up the card that laid next to the box. The pink haired woman inspected the front of the card to see if there was a name and upon finding none she shrugged and opened the card.

"To Mine...huh." Sakura said as she turned the card over to see if it said anything else except those two words. Sakura looked up at Hinata with a devious grin on her face. "Man, Gaara really has the hots for you huh? To mine? That's bold!"

Hinata only nodded and blushed as she opened the box of cinnamon rolls. Her mouth began to salivate as soon as their sweet aroma hit her nose. Only one person knew of her love of cinnamon rolls and he was conspicuously absent. She glanced over at his desk and noticed her lavender coffee cup sitting near his keyboard. A smile spread across her face at the faint wisps of steam that rose from the cup.

Hinata bit her bottom lip to keep from looking too happy and took a sticky cinnamon roll from the box. He hadn't returned her admission of love nor had he spoken at any length about his feelings towards her. Sasuke wasn't a talker by any means. He didn't try to sway her with sweet words or promises. He was a man of action. Whether it was kisses stolen between meetings or lunch randomly appearing on her desk in the middle of the day. He would even enter meetings that she was trepidatious about and sit beside her as an intimidating force against some of her most obstinate and vulgar opponents. It was all his way of showing her that he cared. His actions were starting to make Sakura and the rest of the female employees suspicious but none had voiced their concerns directly to them yet. Hinata took a bite of the soft, sticky cinnamon roll and closed her eyes as she relished the taste on her tongue. Somehow it was even better than the ones she made.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Sakura greeted as the door to their office swung open.

Sasuke nodded in Sakura's direction as he made his way to his own desk and sunk into his chair. Sakura picked up one of the cinnamon rolls from the box and practically skipped over to Sasuke's desk.

"Look at what Gaara sent Hinata!" she said cheerily. "You should eat one, there are way too many for Hinata to finish on her own. They taste great don't they Hinata?"

Hinata blushed and nodded her head.

"I love it."

Sasuke looked down at the sticky bun in Sakura's fingers before looking back up at Hinata. The dark haired woman smiled as she took another bite of her own cinnamon roll, taking satisfaction in the way Sasuke's eyes darkened.

"I will try some later Sakura, thank you."

 **...**

 **Saturday, November 14, 2017, 10:54 a.m.**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Sasuke smiled as he scrolled through the last email from his lawyer Kakashi, the only one employed within the Uchiha who could actually keep a secret. The last of the shares had been forfeited by the now former Hyuuga shareholders and divided amongst himself and Neji. The shareholders did not divest themselves willingly. Quite a few of them have gone through the process kicking and screaming but of course, their own sense of self-preservation won out in the end. Sasuke and Neji hadn't given them much of a choice otherwise. They would lose their shares _and_ their way of life if they refused. Of course, it had taken a few weeks to officially iron out all of the details but now there was no going back.

He was the single largest shareholder of Hyuuga Enterprise outside of the main family. A title he never thought that he would hold a few months ago. His name emboldened on the legal documents filled him with only a small sense of satisfaction. What truly satisfied him was the woman lying at his side. He looked down at the pale woman as she slept tangled up in his sheets. His eyes drank in the generous slope of her hips, the swell of her breasts. The way her pink lips were slightly parted as she breathed evenly in her sleep. It was a shame that her eyes were closed for they were the feature he enjoyed the most. Those expressive lavender eyes that held a thousand emotions all at once.

He ran his fingers through her dark hair, taking immense pleasure in the way the strands fell through his fingers like silk. Hinata groaned at his ministrations and wriggled closer to him. Sasuke knew that she had to be exhausted since he had barely given her a moment of respite since they had left the office yesterday evening. The last few days they had been unable to make a lot of time for each other. They were only able to steal away for small stretches of time and the infrequency irked him greatly. He knew that he had missed Hinata's presence but he hadn't realized just how much until he had her within his grasp again.

"Mmm," Hinata mumbled into his chest. "What time is it?"

"Not sure." He replied although the sun shining weakly through the blinds let him know that it had to be early in the morning.

Hinata leaned up and kissed his jaw, sending a small shock through the both of them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him.

"Do not start something you do not intend to finish." He teased and smirked with satisfaction at how red her face became.

Hinata gave him a sharp slap on his chest and he released her reluctantly. They both knew that what they were doing was reckless but it was quickly becoming impossible for them to be in the same vicinity without nearly setting each other on fire. Their attraction was causing rumors to begin swirling through the building. Whispers of faint noises coming from storage closets or remarks on brief stretches of unexplained absences swirled through the gossip pools of the Uchiha and Hyuuga alike.

Everything was not as salacious as some of their workers claimed. They had never had sex on the roof of the building nor had they done it on top of every single copy machine as some of the rumors had implied. Most of the time they were just escaping to be able to breathe for a moment without someone demanding their attention. Hinata didn't fill his ears with constant chatter. She was much more introspective than most women he had come across. He often found himself wondering what exactly was going on in that brain of hers since she kept so many of her thoughts to herself. It was becoming easier to discern what made her happy and what made her uncomfortable by the look in her eyes but he had yet to accurately parse out what she was thinking.

Sasuke watched as she slid off of the bed and walked over to his dresser to pilfer yet another one of his shirts, not that he minded. He derived just as much pleasure seeing her swimming in his clothing that was too big for her as he did seeing her naked. That was saying a lot since he preferred her naked most of the time. In the back of his mind, he wondered how long it would take for some of the palace intrigues of the office to reach her father's ears. Without question, the man would be furious and of course, Sasuke couldn't blame him. If he ever had a daughter he would ruin anyone who dared to _think_ about her in the ways he thought about Hinata. He couldn't even fathom what he'd do if they actually touched her. More likely than not he'd kill them.

As Hinata stood in front of the mirror and ran a comb through her messy hair, he wondered if their daughter would look like her. Wait... _their daughter_? The thought made his heart skip a beat and he wasn't quite sure if it was out of fear or excitement of the idea. Having children was not something that he had ever seriously considered before. It was more of a duty that Itachi was to uphold although he was failing badly on that front much to their parents' dismay. To Sasuke, children were dirty, sticky things that demanded way too much of their parents time. He doubted that he would be a good parent. Yet, when Hinata smiled at his reflection on the bed behind her in the mirror, a small part of him couldn't help but wish for a daughter. One that had her mother's pale eyes and soft smile...

"What are you thinking about Sasuke?" Hinata asked, breaking him from his reverie. "You're staring."

"Nothing." He said as he crossed the room to wrap his arms around her waist.

Hinata blushed at his actions but smiled at their reflection in the mirror. She didn't push him to answer though which he appreciated. He wasn't ready to verbalize his thoughts to her, not yet.

"What's that?" Hinata asked pointing to the large black instrument case in the corner of the room.

Sasuke cursed inwardly that he had not thought to put his cello in his closet. Only his family knew that he played the cello. He wasn't ashamed of it but it wasn't necessarily the manliest of instruments. He had only chosen to play it because the cello was his mother's favorite instrument and kept playing because he was actually good at it. With Hinata looking expectantly at the encased instrument he couldn't deny it's existence so he sighed.

"It's my cello."

The small woman wiggled out of his arms and walked towards the instrument that was almost as large as she was. She carefully laid the black case on the floor and unzipped it. Even though this was one of those embarrassing little things few people knew about, it was amusing to watch Hinata discover the instrument. She gasped as she flipped open the front of the case. Her slender fingers carefully caressed its dark cherry wood frame with a reverence he had not expected. Sasuke pulled on a pair of sweatpants from his dresser before walking over to where she was crouched.

"Will you...will you play for me?" She asked hesitantly and Sasuke paused.

He only played at the behest of his mother. When he was younger he found it annoying that she always wanted him to play for her but as he'd gotten older it had turned into a special time that only the two of them shared. He did have several recitals over the years but playing for Hinata was entirely different from playing in front of strangers. He noticed that his lack of response made the woman in question's face furrow and her eyes turned downward. He didn't like that look. Without a word he picked up the heavy instrument and bow and took a seat on his bed. Her eyes lit up with understanding. It was a much better look on her face. As he started to play she rose from her crouching position to stand in front of him. She watched him play intently and he couldn't help but feel the admiration that he saw in her eyes. It made his already inflated ego swell. When he finished the short piece, her face spread into a big smile and she clapped.

"That was great!" She said.

"Hn." Sasuke replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. He didn't want to let on that he enjoyed her praise.

"I wish I played an instrument." She said wistfully and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. Most children of their stature learned to play at least one instrument. Hinata noticed the look he was giving her and shrugged her shoulders as she took a seat beside him on the bed.

"My father didn't see learning an instrument as a worthy pursuit. It was a waste of time."

Sasuke frowned at her statement. As much as he had abhorred practice when he was younger it wasn't a waste of time. He observed the way Hinata's pale fingers tentatively touched the strings on the neck of the cello and felt a surge of anger rise in his chest.

"Spread your legs." He commanded as he grabbed her hand and wrapped it firmly around the cello's neck. "Hold this."

Hinata was surprised by his words but obeyed, pulling the large instrument between her legs with his assistance. Sasuke then scooted behind her and wrapped his long legs around her and the cello. He placed the bow on the bed behind them. With careful precision, he directed her small hand in his and plucked the thickest of the four strings. Hinata jumped at the vibration but didn't allow the cello to fall.

"That is C." he said and it was like a lightbulb went off in her head. She plucked the string again, this time on her own.

"C."

Sasuke nodded and plucked the smallest string.

"A."

"A."

 **….**

 **Saturday November 14 2017 4:25pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **….**

Sasuke frowned as he saw his breath materialize in the air. The mild Konoha Fall was rapidly fading away, Winter eager to take its place. He opened the door to the increasingly familiar coffee shop and winced as the bell jingled loudly above him. He was in a rather grumpy mood since Hinata had received a call from her father right in the middle of them having sex and had to leave. The discomfort he had from her departure was immense. He had been so close to cumming that her absence was painful. The smell of freshly brewed coffee assaulted his nostrils and assuaged his bad mood slightly. He placed his order at the counter, ignored the flirtatious double entendre of the red headed barista, and made his way to where two tables had been pushed together in the middle of the restaurant.

"Finally!" The youngest Hyuuga huffed as he took a seat in front of her. "I hope you have a damn good reason for being late."

'I _was_ busy fucking your sister.' He thought moodily as he glared at Hanabi but kept his mouth shut.

"We have most of the details ironed out already Hanabi." Tenten said absently as she shuffled through the pile of papers in front of her. To his right, Neji stiffened at the sound of her voice.

Sasuke looked down at the papers strewn haphazardly on the café table. Pictures of flowers and cakes were slightly obfuscated by illegibly scrawled lists. His eyebrows knitted together as he noticed a particularly large _white_ cake on top of the pile of cake pictures.

"What is this for?" He asked stiffly.

"Hinata's birthday party." Neji answered. "We are going to have it the third weekend in December."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Hinata didn't seem like the type to want a big birthday party, she wasn't one who enjoyed being the center of everyone's attention.

"Hinata never has a celebration. Her birthday usually passes by quietly every year but this year has been a rough one for her." Tenten piped up, noticing the confused look on his face. "It won't be anything too big but we want it to be special. Hopefully, we can keep this a secret long enough. If she finds out that we are planning something she is sure to fina a reason to back out."

"If Hinata doesn't want a celebration can I cancel mine too?" Hanabi grumbled.

"Hinata won't have the option of canceling this year. Have you not been paying attention?" Neji sighed exasperatedly.

Sasuke could tell that the two women in front of him had likely worn him down to his last iota of patience. The Uchiha rolled his eyes at their banter as his coffee was delivered by the barista from earlier. She brushed her fingers against the back of his hands and he had the struggle to not recoil from her touch. With a suggestive wink, she sashayed away. Neji nudged him with his elbow and pointed at the napkin underneath his coffee mug. Sasuke pulled the flimsy paper up and stared blankly at the number written in blue ink with multiple x's and o's.

"You work fast." The brunette said with a smirk.

"Why am I here?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Neji's pointed statement. He balled the napkin up in his fist and casually dropped it on the ground. The gasp of the barista was audible in the nearly empty café.

"We need you to distract Hinata that day." Tenten informed him. "She has been pretty busy lately but she is sure to think that something is up when people she usually sees every day go missing."

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"If she says she doesn't want a party. Why throw one?"

Hanabi frowned at him and sent him.

"I knew this guy wouldn't cooperate." She huffed. "Let's just get Naruto to do it. He and Hinata are on good terms now. I heard her talking to him on the phone the other day."

Sasuke's hand clenched under the table and he opened his mouth to retort but Neji beat him to it.

"No." He said firmly and Hanabi slumped back in her seat.

"I never said I wouldn't cooperate," Sasuke said after a long pause and three pairs of eyes looked at him in surprise.

"Really?" Tenten asked excitedly. "It's only for a day and this will free everyone else up to work on the party!"

Tenten and Hanabi immediately launched into a discussion of more party planning at his confirmation that he would assist their endeavors. Sasuke felt his eye twitch as he heard mentions of ruffles and chocolate in the same sentence. He wasn't sure Hinata would enjoy being the center of attention like this but at least their hearts were in the right place. Next to him, Neji cleared his throat. Sasuke turned his dark gaze to the man who was looking sheepish as he adjusted his empty cup.

"Hinata is very important to us. Thank you for being willing to help." He said stiffly and Sasuke had to restrain his mouth from falling open. Seeing Neji express gratitude towards anyone was odd, hell was likely to freeze over because of this.

"I didn't like you at first Uchiha but...you're not so bad." Neji admitted although it sounded like he was trying to force himself to say nice things he wasn't used to saying.

"Going soft on me Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked with a smirk, causing Neji to snort and roll his eyes.

"Shut up Uchiha."

 **….**

 **Monday, November 16, 2017, 5:15 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

 _Meet with me in my office after work._

 _H.H._

The missive was laid face down on his desk and when he had arrived at the office that morning he had almost over looked it. While he knew that the letter could have been sent by only one person, it was rather pompous of him to only use his initials. Hyuugas enjoyed alliteration when it came to naming and so if he were a lesser man he would assume the note to have been written by anyone. Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets as the doors to the elevator opened to the top floor. While the other floors were awash in activity and people running around this floor remained untouched.

The sound of his footsteps echoed off of the elaborately painted walls adorned with gold sconces. All along the hall, he passed the large portraits of what he could only assume to be the former heads of the Hyuuga. Sasuke noted that the oldest painting dated back to the Edo period. He had always known that the Hyuuga were an old family but he didn't realize that they went this far back. He stood in front of the oldest portrait which was stitched onto tapestry and kept behind a thin plate of glass. The dark haired man looked rather intimidating in his armor with his sword at his side. His pale eyes stared back him from the weathered silk.

"Fascinating isn't it?" A deep voice said from behind him. "To look back and be reminded of where you came from provides motivation to continue to move forward."

"Hn." Sasuke said with a shrug. He was never one for pomp and circumstance. Hiashi bristled slightly at Sasuke snub but did not address it.

"Did you know that the Uchiha came from the Hyuuga?"

Sasuke stared into the eyes of the ancient man in the tapestry and tried to find some resemblance to what he knew the Uchiha elders to look like but could not find any.

"Long ago we were a great and powerful clan. When we were whole we produced skilled assassins, enchanting courtesans, and learned philosophers." Hiashi continued. "I imagine it was a prosperous time until a branch split off and started calling itself the Uchiha. Your family has always been a rebellious bunch. Isn't it ironic that we have ended up as one once more after all these centuries?"

Hiashi folded his hands behind his back and began to walk down the hall towards the mahogany door at the very end. Sasuke took one last glance at the ancient founder of the Hyuuga before following after the current head.

"I have heard from Neji about your exploits with the shareholders." Hiashi said as he opened the door to his office. "Please, have a seat."

Sasuke glanced around the crème colored office before taking a seat in the leather armchair offered to him. Hiasi moved to the wall adjacent to his desk where rows and rows of ornate liquor bottles and glasses were kept. Sasuke found it odd that the man forbade Hinata from drinking at home yet kept scores of expensive liquor stocked in his office. The Hyuuga quickly decided on a bottle of scotch. He filled two glasses with ice from a fridge hidden in the wall and poured two fingers of scotch into each. He then handed Sasuke a glass and took a seat in the leather chair opposite of him.

"It was very bold of you to do a thing like that." Hiashi said after he took a sip from his glass. "I would expect nothing less from the son of Fugaku. It is not the way I would have handled things but you have saved me a lot of trouble."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the empty platitudes but remained silent. Hiashi took another sip of scotch.

"Neji is already in the process of signing the shares back over to me. Once you hand yours over as well we will be able to find new shareholders to invest in us."

"No." Sasuke said simply and Hiashi raised a dark eyebrow at his refusal. "I will not be forfeiting my portion of the shares."

"And why not? You can't very well keep them." Hiashi said, a knowing smirk on his lips. " You must want something in exchange. Uchihas have never been known to do something for nothing. What do you want?"

"Hinata." Sasuke replied bluntly.

He took a sip of the scotch that had been offered. The amber liquid was bitter and stung his esophagus as it went down. Hiashi's face didn't change at all with Sasuke's request. Instead, he looked almost bored.

"Why would I give my eldest daughter, my pride and joy, to a second son?" Hiashi inquired. "I appreciate you doing my dirty work but I am afraid that the price for your services is much too high."

"I am not asking as a second son." Sasuke replied calmly. "As a shareholder, I do have a say in the direction of the company. Is that correct?"

Hisashi's mouth twitched upwards slightly but he nodded his head.

"As it stands for the moment, yes."

"As a shareholder, I have a say in who ultimately will take over as the head of the company correct?"

"Yes."

"Being that Hinata is the heir apparent I have a say in her fate. As such, I am suggesting that you cancel the marriage negotiations between yourself and Sabaku."

"You are an arrogant one aren't you?" Hiashi mocked. "I'm assuming Hinata informed you of her plans to marry Gaara Sabaku and, like a knight in shining armor, you have decided to 'rescue' her. I assure you that her agreement to this contract was not against her will although I may have to disown her for telling our family business to others who have no right to it."

Sasuke's fingers tightened around the glass at the threat to Hinata's status but he kept his emotions in check.

"You have neither accepted nor denied Hinata as your formal heir in public. As of right now, she is your heir apparent if you were to disown her now the title of the heir would automatically fall to Hanabi. The way that the contract is written, Sabaku is only slated to marry the heir. That would then bind your second daughter to fulfill the contract. I do not believe it would bode well for the public to know that you are shipping off a seventeen-year-old to marry a grown man."

Hiashi's upper lip curled at Sasuke's retort and the Uchiha felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had blocked the older man into a corner. The grimace on the Hyuuga's face only lasted a second before he stood up and walked over to his desk. He pulled out a folder from the drawer and returned to his seat.

"Tell me Uchiha. The head of a clan must look after his subordinates and ensure the overall success of the family but what is a father's most important duties to his daughter?" Hiashi asked but Sasuke remained silent. "To protect her. To provide for her. To ensure that one day she meets a man that can do both of those things when her father is buried deep into the ground. Her happiness is secondary to those duties."

The older man placed the folder on the low table separating them and flipped it open. Inside were stills taken from a security camera of him and Hinata. Sasuke picked up the one on the very top and narrowed his eyes at the grainy black and white image of him kissing Hinata in the Sabaku Group's elevator. The next few photos were of Hinata laughing at something he said, her head tilted to the side as he smirked at her. There were also a few shots of them sneaking into the storage room as well when they had thought that no one was looking.

"You are a fool if you think I do not know what goes on within my own company." Hiashi sneered. "You appear to be infatuated with my daughter at the moment but that is all it is. Infatuation wanes and when it does you will leave her empty handed. There was another man infatuated with her and left her dangling by a string for three years. You are no better than him."

"What can a second son give to her? What power could you possibly offer this family that we do not already possess? If photos like these were to get into the wrong hands, Hinata's reputation would be ruined. But you do not care about her future. You, like all Uchihas who have come before you, are selfish."

Sasuke set his glass down on the table with a dull thunk and stared Hiashi down.

"If I am such a mediocre choice, what is your reasoning for throwing her away to Sabaku?" He asked through gritted teeth. Hiashi rolled his eyes.

"Power and influence come with the Sabaku name. The ink is already dry on the contract and it was approved by the previous shareholders before you ousted them. I have humored you but this conversation is moot. Their engagement will be announced officially at Hanabi's coming of age ceremony at the start of the new year."

Hiashi finished the rest of his scotch in one large gulp. He shook his glass of ice slightly, disappointed by the disappearance of the burning amber liquid.

"I hope to see you there of course. As a shareholder, especially as such a prominent one, it is your responsibility to bear witness to these things."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	23. Talks of Marriage

**CCNote: Yet again we have a mixing of a little old, a little new. Not much SasuHina action but I'm really happy with this chapter. It practically wrote itself during my free period this morning. It sets us up nicely for events in the next chapter which will prove to be very interesting if I ever manage more time to write my thoughts down. Also, shouts out to The Mooch who inspired a (dis)tasteful quote I felt was apt. I'm going to give a serious crack at this whole "Thursday (my time) update thing". Thursday is my most free day to write but don't hold me to it lol.**

 ** _To the reviewers debating Canon pairings:_ I LOVED reading your thoughts on how things ended up with the series' pairings. I thought I was the only one who felt that way! You guys are great! If anyone else wants to write their gripes or sing their OTP's praises feel free to add to the general discussion.**

 **Alright here's the newest chapter, please ignore all typos I wasn't able to catch. Don't forget to leave a review! Enjoy!**

 **Talks of Marriage**

 **Thursday, November 19, 2017, 10:20 am**

 **Sabaku Group-Konoha Branch**

… **...**

Hinata sighed as she scrolled through her messages on her phone. She hadn't been able to get in contact with Sasuke since Monday. He hadn't been to their office and even Sakura had no clear idea of where he was. All anyone knew was that he was 'out'. It was lonely in their office without him there and it put her in a bad mood. That mood only worsened with the news that she had to make a formal appearance to Sabaku Group and its shareholders. She pressed her lips together in a tight line as their town car pulled up to the large, intimidating skyscraper. Standing along the sidewalk leading up to the building, were Sabaku's employees standing at attention to greet them. All of them were eager to catch a glimpse of the woman who was highly suspected to become their leader's counterpart.

"You look sick." Neji said, sliding his hand across the leather seats and taking her hand in his. Hinata intertwined her fingers with his and he squeezed.

"I feel sick." She said softly.

"You will be fine. I promise."

Hinata gave her cousin a small smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. When the car came to a complete halt, one of Sabaku group's more eager employees bounded up to the car and opened the door to allow the Hyuugas to exit. Standing just in front of them were Kankuro and a tall blonde woman she had never seen before. Her dark green eyes unabashedly sized Hinata up and down as stepped forward to the town car. Hinata was quite sure that the only other person who looked at her with that same intensity was Gaara. The woman smiled tightly and extended her hand into the car to help Hinata out. The Hyuuga woman tentatively took the outstretched hand, slightly surprised by how rough it was.

"Nice to finally meet you Hinata Hyuuga." The woman said kindly as she tucked Hinata's hand under her arm. "My brother has informed me of your many good qualities. However, he neglected to mention how beautiful you are."

"O-o-oh. I-I-I-" Hinata stammered and blushed at the comment. Kankuro snickered next to them.

"I think you broke her Temari."

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of the woman's name. _This_ was the elusive Temari Sabaku. Gaara never spoke about his family much but she did know that he had an older sister. Temari shot a quick glare at Kankuro for his remark and the man only shrugged.

"Gaara said to be nice." She said through her tight lipped smile. " _This_ is me being nice."

"You'll have to excuse my sister." Kankuro said, ignoring the murderous smile on Temari's face. "She isn't the best when it comes to functions like this."

"Maybe that's because I don't like watching old men suck their own cocks." She growled under her breath and started walking up the pathway to the main entrance with Hinata in tow.

All around them the Sabaku employees murmured and giggled behind their hands as they took in the small entourage. Hinata hadn't been expecting this kind of reception and if it weren't for Temari pulling her along, she might have been tempted to turn tail. In fact, that was still a viable option if she tried hard enough. The stares didn't stop once they entered the building. There was a line of people standing to bear witness all the way to the elevator. When the elevator doors closed around the four of them, Temari finally released her and moved to lean against the far side of the elevator. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared holes into the opposite wall.

"Pack of hyenas is what they are. This is a complete waste of my time." Temari grumbled to herself before turning a not so apologetic eye to her guests. "No offense Hyuugas."

Hinata gulped and nodded her head while Neji remained as impassive as ever.

"Well, not everything can be as exciting as jumping out of planes or scaling mountains." Kankuro teased.

"Jealous little brother?" She said with a roll of her eyes. Kankuro only snorted.

"You wish. I prefer to stay alive."

The elevator doors dinged when they reached the top floor which was thankfully free of the watchful eyes of Sabaku employees. They walked down the same path she and Sasuke had taken on their previous visit, however, this time they were led to a much larger room. As before, Garaa sat at the head of the long conference table and his shareholders sat in two rows on the left side of the table. Matsuri caught her eye in the second row looking just as anxious as Hinata felt on the inside. The Hyuuga felt her heart tug uncomfortably knowing how much it must hurt for her to participate in something like this. Matsuri noticed her staring and gave a small smile of reassurance but it was unconvincing.

On the right side of the conference table, there were chairs set up for the Hyuuga shareholders but all of them were empty. A slight anxiousness began to set in. Where were their shareholders? _Where was her father?_ Being that this was _supposed_ to be an important meeting they should all be here. She glanced at Neji who looked utterly unfazed by their absence before swallowing her own confusion. With or without her father and their shareholders, it didn't matter. She could handle a meeting like this on her own.

With that thought in mind, she and Neji bowed deeply to Gaara and his shareholders. They all nodded their heads respectfully in return. Neji took his place in one of the empty shareholder chairs while she sat opposite to Gaara. As soon as she was settled in her seat, she was presented with a steaming cup of tea by what she could only assume to be an intern. Their hand shook nervously as they placed the delicate porcelain cup and saucer in front of her. Hinata tried to give the intern a reassuring smile but they shuffled away as soon as the cup touched the table's surface.

"Let us begin." Gaara said and in the next instant, every person in the room was presented with the thick packet that was their marriage contract.

The Sabaku shareholders gushed at how fair and balanced the contract was. How it was past due time that their heir had settled down. How this would only serve to boost the Hyuuga name. Each page was poured over with glowing praise and admiration at their own craftsmanship and thoughtfulness. After awhile Hinata finally understood what Temari meant about the self-congratulatory nature of the Sabaku shareholders. They were all quite full of themselves. By the time they reached the end of the packet Hinata felt a headache coming on.

"I believe that this is the arrangement is most advantageous to you Hyuuga!" A portly man with sandy hair chuckled and the other shareholders bobbed their heads in agreement.

They murmured excitedly to themselves, already laying out the future of their next heir. An heir they all hoped would be on its way within the next year according to the contract. Hinata's stomach tied itself in knots at the notion of being legally obligated to produce a child that she wasn't ready for with a man she didn't love.

"I believe that is all for today." Gaara said blankly and the tittering of the shareholders settled down. "Hinata please stay."

The old shareholders cut suggestive looks at them as they filed out of the room and snickered behind their hands. They were worse than children. Matsuri hesitated for a moment in her chair as though she didn't want to leave them alone together but was ushered along by another shareholder. With a resigned look, she left the room with the rest of them. Neji placed a firm hand on her shoulder and leaned down to her ear.

"I'll be just outside the door." He whispered and left as well.

The door to the conference room shut, engulfing the room in an awkward silence that always settled over them when they were alone. Gaara rose from his chair and walked the expansive length of the table to where she sat. His steps echoed off of the conference room walls causing her mouth to go dry the closer he came.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"I...um..." She started, glancing down at the contract in front of her.

Within it outlined all of the duties as the Sabaku matriarch. The events she was responsible to host, political circles she was to ingratiate herself in, and the charities she was expected to take up. The title and responsibility of becoming the Sabaku matriarch sent a physical tremor through her body.

"They have high expectations." Gaara said, picking up on her hesitance to answer. "I will be honest. It is a lot to ask but there is no one better to ask to handle it."

Hinata nodded her head solemnly at the compliment. Hyuuga men and women were known to be level headed, well trained, highly educated, and accomplished. Who better to serve as such an influential man's counterpart? She wouldn't outshine him nor would she bring shame to his name. No doubt the Sabaku shareholders saw their match as one that wouldn't rock the boat and would serve as stability for the company. Their match was safe, easy. A match with Gaara would inevitably be less messy than other potential arrangements. Gaara reached over and took her chin in his hand, gently raising her face up to look at him. Hinata's heartbeat increased exponentially as he leaned in close with his eyes on her lips. He was going to kiss her but unlike in Suna she just couldn't let him do it, not when she wished so strongly for those lips to belong to another person. Not when she was in love with someone else.

"Gaara...have you ever been in love?" She blurted out and Gaara stopped his descent.

His bright green eyes stared at her intently as he leaned away, surprised by her sudden question.

"Love?" He said pensively and crossed his arms.

"Y-yes." She said, finally able to breathe now that Gaara was distracted.

The red head blinked at her statement but didn't say anything yet his silence spoke volumes. Gaara had never been in love before and he certainly didn't love her. One day he was sure to come to uniquely care for her but she doubted that it would evolve into love. She didn't find it within herself to love him either, not when what she felt for Sasuke had rekindled itself so strongly and readily. That alone let her know that this arrangement would not work. Her father had said that this entire contract was created to give Hanabi a shot at something higher, something better, but her selfish heart continued to resist. She wanted her sister to be happy but this wasn't something she could do. Hinata bit her bottom lip and gathered up as much of her courage as she could.

"Gaara, I don't-" she started to say but the rest of her words caught in her throat as she watched him fish around in his suit jacket pocket, not paying her the slightest bit of attention.

"Here." He said and handed her a long, black velvet box.

When she didn't accept the gift he opened the box to reveal a delicate silver necklace, with a slender ruby pendant at the end. He looked at her intently for a reaction of happiness but as much as she wanted to give that to him she couldn't. She couldn't accept this gift. She couldn't return his feelings. She couldn't marry him.

"Gaara I can't-" she said shakily but he only shook his head.

"I believe it is customary to give gifts to one's intended."

"Gaara-"

"Do you not like it?"

"No, it's beautiful! I just can't accept it. I-"

"I believe you know by now that I do not take no for an answer Hinata."

Gaara closed the velvet box and placed in on the table in front of her.

 **….**

 **Thursday, November 19, 2017, 12:42 pm**

 **Downtown Konoha**

 **...**

"Are you hungry Hinata?" Neji asked and Hinata shook her head.

There was no way she was going to be able to eat anything for awhile without feeling nauseous. Especially not when she felt like a complete and utter failure. Neji frowned at her rejection but didn't push as they walked through the city. Hoping to change the topic on Neji's mind from her own well-being she looped her arm through his and leaned into him for support as they walked the city's busy streets.

"Neji, where was father today?" She asked and he shrugged.

"That is not something I am at privy to say." He replied.

Hinata frowned however she had no choice but to accept her cousin's answer. It wasn't that unusual for her to be left in the dark when it came to matters dealing with her father. Sometimes she thought he trusted Neji more than he did his own daughters but she squashed those envious emotions down. Her father might technically be Neji's uncle but he was a father to her cousin as well.

"Hinata." Neji said as they turned a corner, breaking her from dwelling much longer within her own mind.

"Yes?"

"Today with Sabaku, the contract, it's...a lot." He said and Hinata nodded. "Can you handle it?"

"Do I have much of a choice?" She said after a long pause.

"No. I suppose not."

Neji looked down at her and a shared feeling of sadness passed between them. He untangled his arm from her in favor of wrapping it around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

"What would Hanabi call us right now hm?" He said, the sadness in his eyes beginning to be edged away with mirth.

"Pitiful." Hinata grinned and the brunette countered back.

"Idiots."

"Sad saps."

"Nimrods."

"Dickless."

"Hinata! Language!" Neji said in mock shock.

Hinata smiled and her stomach gave a little twinge of hunger. Maybe she could eat something small, it might even make her feel better. Looking around the vibrant Konoha city center she spotted a sign for a cute café just up the block.

"Hey, Neji let's go there." She said and tried to move forward but Neji's grip on her shoulder tightened. "Neji?"

The man didn't seem to hear her. Instead, he was staring intently into the broad store front of another restaurant. Hinata looked at him curiously and waved a hand in front of his face. She had never seen Neji look so out of it before.

"Neji." She said but he continued to ignore her.

She followed his line of sight into the restaurant to see what had caught her cousin attention and immediately regretted it. Inside was Tenten sitting in a booth with a man whose back was facing the window. She was smiling at something the man, absently stirring her drink. In her heart of hearts, Hinata wanted to believe for her cousin's sake that Tenten was just having a friendly lunch. If she had learned anything from having Ino as a roommate, Tenten would have gotten dressed up a bit for a date. Hinata had seen the woman go on dates with Neji and she always dressed up however with this man she looked like she had just gotten back from the gym. Her hair was a bit messy and she wasn't wearing any makeup but she outshone every woman in the restaurant. It wouldn't come as a surprise to Hinata if she _was_ on a date. Tenten was an attractive woman with sharp reflexes and an even sharper tongue. It was really a wonder that she had remained single for this long.

"N-Neji, let's go she said, tugging on Neji's wrist to leave but the man refused to budge. "I think we have some m-meetings later. Let's go."

Neji didn't respond to her pokes and prods to leave. Silently he turned towards the entrance of the restaurant with a reluctant Hinata fruitlessly pulling at his wrist to leave. Her face turned red as people in the establishment turned and looked at them curiously but turned back to their own meals when they noticed the murderous intent in Neji's eyes. Tenten registered Neji's approach before her partner did and stared at the Hyuuga's with her mouth slightly open. Hinata tried to convey a message of apology and regret through her eyes but Tenten was only looking at Neji. The man in the booth turned around to see what had gotten her attention and was taken aback by the Hyuuga's appearance. He ran his hand through his platinum blonde hair and his green eyes crinkled when he smiled. He was slightly older and certainly didn't fit her idea of what Tenten's type would be but he seemed nice enough.

"Hello! Are you friends of Tenten?" The man said and offered his left hand for Neji to shake.

The hand hung out in the air awkwardly for a moment before it was rescinded. The man nervously chuckled to himself and stood up from the booth.

"Where are my manners?" He said and motioned towards the booth. "Why don't you join us for lunch? Our drinks have only just arrived and we haven't ordered any food yet-"

"Tenten, get up." Neji said, completely ignoring the man's offer. Tenten rolled her eyes and pushed her drink away but did not follow Neji's demand. "Now."

"Hey man, we are kind of in the middle of something right now. You are free to-"

"How is your wife?" Neji said evenly without tearing his eyes away from Tenten.

"W-what are y-y-yo" the man spluttered indignantly at the direct inference, unable to form a coherent sentence. Neji spared him a wilting glare.

"There is discoloration on your finger where your wedding ring usually resides. I ask again. How is your wife?"

"I forgot to put it back on after-"

"That's what they all say." Neji said looking down his nose at Tenten's confused companion.

The man's face turned red and then purple before springing up out of the booth. He purposely bumped Neji's shoulder on his way out in an attempt to knock him over but only ended up bumping into a passing waiter in the ricochet and sending himself and the waiter crashing to the ground. Hinata tried to help the blonde man up but he smacked her hands away and got up on his own. He said nothing to them as he dusted himself off and hastily left the restaurant.

"Tenten-" Hinata started to say as she noticed the slight tremble in her friend's shoulders.

"Did you know he was married?" Neji asked through clenched teeth.

"Neji, you always ruin _everything_!" Tenten hissed, unintimidated by Neji's accusation.

"I apologize for ruining your date with a married man." He replied with a roll of his eyes.

"God, you are insufferable! Just because you're miserable and lonely doesn't mean that I have to be too. You made your choice so stick with it and don't drag me down with you."

Tenten slid out of the booth and threw more than enough money down on the table to cover the bill for their unfinished drinks. Neji grabbed her wrist to keep her from leaving but she wrested her limb away.

"No. Go back to your upper-crust life and find a sweet, submissive wife like you're supposed to. Don't touch me. Don't look at me. Don't come back to the coffee shop." She snapped and the other patrons of the restaurant looked up at the scene they were causing. "And for your _information,_ that man you just pissed off was one of the few qualified people we could find that had enough experience to teach at the gym when we reopen. It has taken Gai months to convince him to come to do an interview and spar with Lee and you just fucking ruined it like you ruin everything!"

With that, she slung her gym bag over her shoulder and huffed out of the restaurant. Hinata gently took Neji's hand in her own and led him away from the scene he had created. She would give Tenten a call later but right now her cousin needed her. This day was proving to be terrible for them both.

… **.**

 **Thursday, November 19, 2017, 12:30 pm**

 **Hyuuga Munitions Factory**

 **...**

The muffled whir of the factory permeated through the dark town car, providing a soundtrack to the otherwise silent vehicle. Sasuke looked out the tinted window at the image of yet another metal building that they were quickly approaching. The building was nondescript, it's exterior following the same basic guidelines as any other factory he had surveyed with his father previously. It was meant to hold just enough to get the job done, nothing more nothing less. Like his own family, these factories were meant to be able to switch up mass production from electronics to clothes. Appearances meant little as long as versatility and efficiency were met.

The car stopped just outside the concrete steps that led to the entry of the building. Along the steps were men and women in baggy dark gray jumpers. They all bowed simultaneously as the door to the town car was opened and Hiashi stepped out of the car. Sasuke got out behind the older man, dark eyes scanning the employees before him. They seemed anxious for some reason. Sasuke pushed the thought aside. His father's own factory workers always seemed a bit on edge when he came around to survey the facilities.

"Hiashi." A man in a light gray suit greeted his superior with a slight bow as he glanced surreptitiously at the younger man by Hiashi's side. Sasuke noted the paleness of the man's eyes and immediately knew him to be a member of the Hyuuga family. "It is a pleasure to have you here."

"Ko. This is Sasuke Uchiha, second son of Fugaku Uchiha." Hiashi said blandly as he introduced the Uchiha. "He is our newest shareholder and has yet to survey many of our facilities. I believe it's best for him to understand what he is investing in don't you?"

"Of course." Replied Ko as he gave a stiff nod in Sasuke's direction. "Please follow me."

Ko led the way into the gray building with Hiashi and Sasuke following a half step behind him. The employees that had been lined up on the steps filed in after the three men. The front hallway led directly into the heart of the facility, the sound of metal grating against metal made it difficult to hear one's own thoughts. Ko stopped at the railing that overlooked the factory floor below and turned around to address the two other men following him.

"This is one of the many facilities that we use to fill our government contracts for the military. This facility, in particular, is known for having as little time and cost overrun as possible. Most contracts are completed under budget." Ko explained in a loud voice. With an open palm, he gestured down at the hive of activity below.

Sasuke looked over the railing and observed the employees as bright yellow vehicles carried heavy pallets of raw metal. There were multiple conveyor belts of melted metal being poured into casings for bullets. Men and women stood side by side ensuring that the molds were filled evenly and didn't overflow. Their shoes clanked against the metal staircase as they descended down to the factory floor.

Ko explained the inner workings of the factory, the inputs and outputs as well as projected timetables of completion. The man was knowledgeable in every nook and cranny having to deal with not only this factory but the other Hyuuga facilities that were spread out around the country. Sasuke picked up a dark gray bullet from the stack of completed cases. He rolled the smooth piece of metal between his forefinger and thumb, wondering if this bullet, in particular, would eventually mean the end of another person's life.

"Why weapons?" Sasuke asked, interrupting Ko and Hiashi's conversation.

The Hyuugas had profitable avenues in everything from electronics to children's toys to fashion. They didn't seem like the type to diverge into military contracts. In any case, Konoha had been at peace for almost two decades since the Senju stepped down and the Uzumaki took over. There shouldn't be a need for this kind of mass production. Hiashi took the bullet from Sasuke's hand and placed it back in the stack with the others.

"Government contracts are always a lucrative and steady source of income." Hiashi explained casually. "Whether we are at war or not, men always have a desire to possess more bullets and guns than the other side. We are simply fulfilling that need."

"Hn." Sasuke said with a nod of his head as he shoved his hands into his pockets and proceeded down the rows of uniformed workers.

He looked over the shoulder of a young woman not much older than him handling sheet metal. She methodically pulled down on the lever in front of her, lowering the heavy piece of machinery down to imprint deep grooves into the metal. She noticed the Uchiha standing behind her and jumped. She would have smashed her left hand with the imprinting machine if Sasuke hadn't grabbed her wrist in time. The heavy machine slammed down on the metal plate with a sickening sound since it wasn't being guided properly by its operator. The girl blushed as she looked up at him and stammered out an apology for her own negligence. Behind him, Hiashi chuckled.

"You move on so fast Uchiha."

Sasuke bit his tongue to keep from replying to Hiashi's thinly veiled taunt and let go of the woman's wrist. The man was the bane of his existence but it was something he had no choice but to tolerate. He was not giving up his portion of the Hyuuga shares anytime soon which meant that he had a lot to learn about his father's rival. Ko checked on the woman to make sure that she was alright. Upon receiving confirmation that she was unharmed, proceeded to continue the tour. Unfortunately, the workers were no longer productive. The female workers, young and old, ogled Sasuke as he walked past. They craned their necks to get a look at their boss's young companion and a few of them even devolved into a fit of giggles whenever he even glanced in their direction. Hiashi huffed at their juvenile behavior.

"It's at times like these that I'm glad that I have daughters." The older man grumbled before glaring at a young pair of women ahead of him staring at Sasuke with wide hopeful eyes.

… **..**

 **Thursday, November 19, 2017, 7:09 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence #2**

 **...**

"I'm here."

"Close the door quickly behind you!" A soft voice chided from the interior of the apartment. "You're letting all the cold air in!"

Sasuke closed the front door quickly as he had been directed and hung his jacket on the coat rack beside him. The familiar smell of his mother's cooking filled his nostrils and made his mouth water. The sound of vegetables popping on the stove made his own stomach growl. He could almost taste her homemade tomato sauce on his tongue. How long had it been since he'd had her cooking?

He had been so caught up in his work the past week that he barely had time to sleep let alone spend time with anyone. Hiashi was determined to make him bend with the work load but Sasuke had never been one to yield to the demands of others. All except his mother of course who had threatened to camp out on his door step if he did not come to visit her. At least Itachi had purchased their apartments close together so it was not a hassle to visit her.

He made his way to the kitchen, the blend of garlic and onions becoming increasingly more pungent as he got closer. Sasuke felt a small smile try to push its way to his lips as he saw his small mother try as best as she could to reach a homemade can of pureed tomato sauce on a shelf that was unreasonably high. He swiftly walked over and got the object she had been reaching for with much less difficulty. She turned around and gave him a big smile.

"Welcome home!"

Sasuke only nodded his head, slightly embarrassed by her enthusiasm at seeing him. He pulled out a large, stainless steel chef's knife from the drawer and began chopping some of the vegetables that were on the counter. Quickly the two Uchiha's fell into a comfortable rhythm that they had become accustomed to over the years. His mother was no longer as quick in the kitchen as she once was but he more than made up for what she lacked.

Mikoto looked over his shoulder as he finished chopping the last of the spinach and grabbed a juicy tomato to cut up. She clicked her tongue in disapproval and took the knife from his hand. She bumped him out of the way with her hip and began cutting the spinach he had pushed aside into more bite sized pieces.

"I taught you better than that." Mikoto reprimanded, a teasing edge in her tone, before moving onto cutting up the spinach.

Sasuke frowned as he looked at the bowl of spinach. He thought he had done a good job that time. His mother noticed his frown and pressed a wedge of raw tomato against his lips.

"Don't look like that Sasuke, you'll get wrinkles like your father."

Sasuke rolled his eyes but accepted the piece of fruit she offered him. As he chewed slowly he seasoned the now softened garlic and onions on the stove. He stirred the mixture quickly before adding in the bowl of tomato sauce next to the stove. After a few minutes with the heat on high, he lowered the gas down to a simmer and placed a lid over the pan. Mikoto nodded approvingly.

"You are going to make a great husband one day." She said and Sasuke scoffed. Mikoto placed her hands on her hips and waggled a disapproving finger at him. "It's that attitude right there that is the reason you're still single. If you weren't so mean to every girl that crossed your path I'd be a grandmother by now! Don't treat us like Itachi. You are well past the age that you should have been married. When will you find a wife?"

Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders. There was only one woman right now that he could imagine as his wife but she was currently promised to another. That little fact he was not willing to accept. Hinata belonged to him well before she was signed off to Gaara Sabaku. He was not going to give her up as easily as Hiashi wished for him to. He imagined coming home to Hinata just like this. Cooking with her and listening to her soft voice talk about anything and everything...

Shaking the overtly saccharine thoughts from his head and focused on his mother's melodic voice and worked in time with her to finish dinner. A few hours later, their stomachs were full and the dishes were washed. His mother was curled up on the opposite end of the couch with an empty glass of wine and wrapped snugly in a fluffy throw blanket that she had knitted herself. It was red and ugly but she refused to part with it because she had created with her own two hands. Itachi had certainly gotten his do-it-yourself streak from their mother. Her soft snores added a soothing backdrop as he put the finishing touches on a new piece of music. As his eyes scanned the notes he could hear the music in his head.

The sound of keys jingling and the front door opening drew Sasuke's attention away from the composition in front of him. He looked up as he heard heavy footsteps approach the living room and locked eyes with his father. He had not seen the man since the signing but that was not odd. Fugaku was not the most attentive or affectionate parent. The man nodded stiffly to his youngest son but his hard eyes quickly softened as he gazed upon his sleeping wife.

"Father." Sasuke greeted impassively as the Uchiha patriarch scooped his wife into his arms, being careful all the while not to wake her.

"Sasuke." Fugaku replied in a low voice. "We need to talk."

 **To be continued...**


	24. Herding Cats

**CCNote: What is this? Yet another update? Yea I can't believe it either. I wouldn't have updated at ALL this week actually if it wasn't for one special reviewer. I was just feeling really tired after last week and thinking of putting off edits for another week. However they realy motivated me to put my butt in gear!**

 ** _To Spoony Chan:_ You wrote a freaking essay and I LOVE YOU for it! Anyone who takes the time to sit down and really dig deep into this story and character motivations has earned my immediate respect and admiration. Every author loves for their work to be picked apart and analyzed the way you have done and I feel extremely flattered by your review of my work. This chapter is dedicated to you.**

 ** _To Cursy Chan:_ I believe you have reviewed nearly every chapter yeah? Thanks so much for your constant motivation and support. I really appreciate it.**

 ** _To my ESL reviewers:_ Your reviews always brighten my day. Whether you write your reviews in your natural tongue or in English know that I love the fact that you are taking time out of your day to read my story at all. Thanks so much!**

 **Anywho, to everyone else thank you for taking time out of your day to read my story! Please enjoy this newest installment! Overlook typos I wasn't able to atch!**

 **Herding Cats**

 **Friday, November 20, 2017, 10:13 pm**

 **Mystic**

 **...**

 _"Sasuke." Fugaku replied in a low voice. "We need to talk."_

"He's the worst!" Tenten yelled over the din of the club.

She chugged down her drink and slammed the glass onto the well-worn bar top. The glass didn't break but the young man behind the bar looked like his heart just might from Tenten's carelessness. Hinata shot the bartender an apologetic look before edging the glass out of Tenten's reach.

"Maybe you should slow down." Hinata said which earned her a glare from Tenten.

"Don't tell me you're going to start bossing me around too."

"No! It's just that this is your fourth drink in under an hour."

"Then let's make it five." Tenten grinned and waved the bartender over to order yet another drink.

Hinata sighed in defeat and took a sip of her own drink. Just plain water. She would have preferred something stronger but there had to be at least one sober person to take care of whatever chaos their group managed to cook up. That duty always fell to Hinata since she was the least likely to get into trouble. Unfortunately, she was also the least suitable for the job. When the girls got their minds focused on something there was very little Hinata could do to dissuade them.

 _This time would be different they said..._

Yet Ino and Sakura had disappeared into the crowd the minute they entered the club. Those two women would dance the night away in the arms of any man willing to keep up. They would never grace the bar with their patronage but still wound up drunk off their ass.

 _This would be fun they said..._

Making sure Tenten didn't get into a bar fight was not her idea of fun. The woman was usually a pretty mellow drunk. Hinata hardly worried about her until she reached her sixth or seventh shot. At that point, it was only a matter of time before some guy hit on at her the wrong way and ended up on their back. Being that she was already in a terrible mood, Tenten was a bit of a ticking time bomb.

 _They hadn't gone out in so long they said..._

Hinata sighed as she ran a finger over the rim of her glass. There was a reason why she was always so reluctant to join Ino, Sakura, and Tenten on their night time escapades and it had nothing to do with more introverted nature. Nights out with them never went smoothly. Someone always wound up in an alley vomiting their guts out. Someone always ended up making out with a guy that was taken. Someone always ended up crying in the bathroom. The Hyuuga loved her friends but, to put it as mildly as possible, they were a handful.

"I just don't get it. One minute he wants me. The next minute I'm the scum on the bottom of his shoe. It's fucking confusing!" Tenten ranted as Hinata dutifully patted her back. "Then he thinks he can jump in and tell me what to do? No. I'm done playing this game."

"What game would that be?" A smooth, sultry voice on Hinata's other side interjected.

The two women looked up from their own pity party to see Temari Sabaku staring back curiously. The blonde smiled at both of them and placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"Don't you look _so_ happy to see me." She said sarcastically and waved the bartender over. "Whiskey neat."

"Ms. Sabaku-" Hinata started but Temari waved her away.

"Bah! Call me Temari. I'm not one for the formalities you Hyuuga are so partial to."

The bartender returned quickly with Temari's drink and marveled at how she downed the dark liquor in less than a minute. She shook her empty glass playfully and he happily refilled it when he finally picked his jaw up from the ground.

"So about that game you don't want to play?" She asked Tenten who was still mesmerized by her sudden appearance. The brunette shook her head and took a short sip of her drink.

"Men. Men and their stupid confusing games." Tenten said. "No offense Hinata."

Temari raised an eyebrow at that comment but did not dig too deep into it. Instead, she nodded her head patiently as Tenten launched into a rant about the male patriarchy and their double standards. Hinata merely sipped her water between them and hoped that Tenten would tire herself out soon.

"You know what you need." Temari said slyly when the brunette paused to take a breath. "Tequila."

"Huh?" Tenten asked with a quirk of her head.

"W-w-wait!" Hinata stammered, not liking the turn of this conversation.

Temari waved the bartender back over with a few bills in her hand and ordered three shots of top shelf tequila. Boldly, she reached just behind the bar and grabbed the salt shaker with a tin of limes and set up the accouterments in from of them.

"Ms. Saba- I mean Temari. I-I don't think-" Hinata said nervously as she noticed Tenten's eyes lighting up with excitement. This was bad. Tequila and Tenten didn't mix well.

"I know you're a goodie two shoes and all but loosen up!" Temari teased.

The young bartender returned with three shot glasses and didn't blink twice at the objects Temari had pilfered from behind his bar. He poured all three glasses to the brim, some of the liquor sloshing over the edge as he was distracted by Temari's flirtatious gaze. The blonde winked at him and licked the side of her hand. She covered it with salt before turning back to Hinata and Tenten.

"The best way to get over one man is to get under another." She said and licked the salt off her hand, downed her shot, and bit into the lime with one smooth motion.

She raised an eyebrow as though to question the mettle of the two other women to be able to take their shots as cleanly as she had. Not one to back down from such a direct challenge, Tenten neglected her lime and salt in favor of taking the shot straight. Temari cheered and nudged the last shot to Hinata.

"It's your turn Hi-na-ta!" She sang.

Hinata gulped as she eyed the full shot glass. The lights made the liquid turn from green to blue to red and back again. She didn't want to drink tonight but at the same time, she didn't want to offend Temari who was looking at her expectantly. Hesitantly Hinata reached for the shot glass and brought it up to her lips. She immediately recoiled as the smell burned the inside of her nose. She placed the shot back on the bar top without taking a sip and Temari pouted.

"Don't tell me you're trying to corrupt a Hyuuga." A bored voice interjected causing Hinata and Tenten to look up.

The owner of the voice stood behind Temari with their hands shoved in their pockets. The man looked as though he would rather be anywhere but the inside of a hot sweaty club and his lethargic attitude felt familiar. Hinata vaguely remembered meeting him once or twice but she couldn't quite place a name to his face. The blonde sighed but didn't turn around to acknowledge the man directly.

"I'm just trying to have a little fun, Shika. You never let me have any fun when I'm in town." She said as the bartender glared daggers at the man behind her.

"Your kind of fun is nothing but trouble." The brunette said flatly.

Hinata watched as Temari smirked and turned around on her bar stool to face the bored man behind her. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down forcefully to place a kiss on his lips. The man didn't protest either. It appeared as though he was used to surprise attacks from the Sabuku woman and willingly went along with her brutish nature. She had expected Gaara's sister to be more reserved and quiet like he was but the blonde was proving to be anything but. Out of the corner of her eye, a nimble hand trying to sneak its way over to her still full shot glass caught her attention.

"What are you doing?" A voice grumbled disapprovingly, causing Hinata to immediately grow tense. She knew that voice all too well.

Tenten paused with the shot to her lips and glared right back at the angry Hyuuga behind Hinata.

"Whatever I want." She snapped tipsily and knocked back the alcohol.

Hinata squeaked in surprise as Neji reached over her to grab Tenten's wrist and drag her away from the bar.

"Let go of me!" She hissed as she tried fruitlessly to wrest her wrist away.

Neji ignored her protests and pulled her away from the bar and into the mass of sweaty people on the dance floor. Hinata gapped at their sudden departure, mentally debating whether she should follow them or not. They really needed space to hash out whatever was going on between them but at the same time, she didn't want them to cause an even bigger scene than the one in the restaurant. She could just see the headlines now and feel her father's disapproving glare. Just as she was about to get up to stop a potential crisis, a bright blue drink was set down in front of her. She looked up at the bartender who merely shrugged his shoulders and rammed his thumb in the direction of a silver haired man on the other side of the bar. The man raised his glass to her and licked his lips suggestively. A shiver ran down her spine as he got up and started making his way towards the seat Tenten had vacated.

"What did I tell you about accepting drinks from men?"

 **….**

 **Friday, November 20, 2017, 10:13 pm**

 **Mystic**

 **...**

He could count on one hand the number of times Naruto was able to gain the upper hand in their relationship and all of them involved blackmail. The man was a vault for other people's secrets and now he possessed one of his. After being worked into the ground by Hiashi's constant demands, he wanted nothing more than to go home and allow his bed to swallow him whole. His mood was even more dismal than usual since he hadn't seen Hinata at all that week and Naruto showing up on his doorstep was just asking that he become a murderer...

 _"C'mon it'll be fun!" Naruto whined as he followed the moody Uchiha through the penthouse._

 _"No."_

 _"This is the first Friday that I'm not ditching anything. It's a guilt free night on the town. Let's go!"_

 _"Che. No."_

 _"Sasuke!"_

 _The Uchiha ignored his friend's pleas and proceeded to rummage through his fridge for something edible. Unfortunately, he hadn't been home often enough to refill it with more substantial things other than dango and red bean paste cakes. Sasuke wasn't quite sure how his brother's teeth stayed perfect when he subsisted off of so many sweets. Naruto closed the fridge door with a huff, leaving Sasuke with barely enough time to get his head out of the way._

 _"Why the hell do I have to go with you?" Sasuke grumbled, only second away from punching Naruto in the jaw._

 _"Because you're my wingman! Ino's going out with a bunch of her friends tonight and I can't just show up there alone. That would be lame. Besides, Shikamaru won't be much help to me and Kiba only cares about getting his dick wet."_

 _"Sounds like a personal problem that I don't need to be involved in. If you have already roped Shikamaru and Kiba into joining you then you don't need me to come."_

 _Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes._

 _"If you don't come I'll tell Neji what I saw you doing to his sweet, innocent, little cousin." He said darkly. "You'll catch his wrath worse than I did, believe it!"_

 _"You wouldn't dare."_

 _"Try me. He's waiting in the car right now."_

...There was still a strong possibility that he would murder someone before the night was over. Naruto didn't even need him as a wingman anyway. Less than thirty minutes inside of the packed building, the two blondes had found each other like homing beacons and were glued to each other ever since. It was cute in a weird sickening kind of way. Since his services were not needed after all; that left him to brood at an ostentatiously large V.I.P table Kiba had taken the courtesy of booking for them. Sasuke wasn't quite sure why Kiba had reserved the table. Neji and Shikamaru had slipped away as soon as they entered the building and Naruto was scarce soon after. Outside of just showing off his wealth, there was no real reason to buy the table. The man in question was currently surrounded by several attention seekers and hangers on, all more than willing to show him a good time. Sasuke rolled his eyes as the red head in Kiba's lap and blonde under his arm giggled insanely at something he said. It probably wasn't even that funny.

"It's pretty packed here tonight huh!" Sakura shouted over the music causing Sasuke to break from his thoughts.

He had completely forgotten that Ino came with accessories and one of those just so happened to be his secretary. Sakura scooted closer to him, her bare thigh pressing up against his underneath the table. She leaned against him and reached for his half finished drink. She took a small sip and scrunched up her face.

"That's really strong!" She coughed with a dissatisfied shake of her pink head as she put the drink back down. "You don't usually come out to places like this. What made the sudden change of heart?"

Sasuke didn't reply. He didn't want to have to explain himself. Not when the music was only adding to his headache and the liquor wasn't helping. Sakura was unfazed by his lack of response. She placed a hand on his forearm and leaned in even closer.

"I'm glad you came out tonight. There are so many new people to meet and get to know. It'll be fun." She said with a flutter of her eyelashes.

Sasuke discreetly slipped his arm away from her touch. He'd rather deal with a whiny, bored Hanabi than entertain the desperate people in this club.

"This is not my idea of fun." He said and she pouted.

"Well, of course, you're not going to have any fun just sitting here. Come on, I'll show you a good time."

She pulled him by his upper arm with a strength he would have never pegged her to have. He was so caught off guard that she was able to pull him out of the booth and onto the dance floor. Sasuke froze as sweaty bodies gyrated around him in time with the music. Sakura sashayed around him with her hands in the air and a lustful look in her green eyes. How much had she had to drink already? Her already impossibly short dress was rising with each move but she didn't seem to care nor did she mind that he was not dancing along. She only laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You've got to move Sasuke!" She instructed and pressed her body flush against his in an attempt to demonstrate the way he should move.

Her close proximity made him tense up even more and he removed her arms from around his neck. For a moment he thought that she might cry but instead, she only smiled with a small shake of her head.

"You don't dance. I get it." She said. "Let's go some place more private. You had a long day today."

Sasuke shook his head. He had no intentions of going anywhere more private with Sakura or anyone else for that matter. All he wanted was a drink and then he was bailing. Naruto probably wouldn't even know he was missing until much later in the evening anyway. That was _only if_ he came up for air long enough to note his departure.

"I'm going to the bar." He said simply and left Sakura in the middle of the masses before she could form a proper response.

The Uchiha skirted around the bodies in his way and squeezed past women seeking his company now that he was alone. Eventually, he was able to extricate himself from the near orgy, taking solace in the sight of the bar. There was even a seat available. As he approached the empty seat, his heart skipped a beat. The last person he would expect to see tonight, the only person he'd wanted to see, was sitting right there staring curiously at a blue drink that had just come her way. He noticed a man toast to her from the other side of the bar and couldn't help but shake his head. The woman was a magnet for attention and she didn't even realize it. Quickly he claimed the seat before the other man was able to and slid the drink away from her.

"What did I tell you about accepting drinks from men?" He said into her ear so he didn't have to shout. She jumped in surprise and stared up at him with wide, pale eyes.

"Sa-Sasuke!" She gasped and he smirked at her reaction. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" He questioned back. He knew that she and Ino were friends but he hadn't expected her to be a part of the entourage tonight.

The Hyuuga's eyes scanned the club quickly before turning back to him.

"I need to find my cousin before he gets into trouble." She shouted and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Trouble?"

Hinata nodded solemnly and finished off her glass of water, leaving the blue drink to sit dejectedly on the bar top.

"Tenten is here. Ino thought that it would be fun to go out tonight but a drunk Neji and Tenten are not fun. " She sighed as she slipped off of her bar stool. "I need to make sure they don't damage anything."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Just how many fucking friends did Ino have? Without a word he grabbed Hinata's small hand in his and intertwined their finger together. She looked up at him sheepishly, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks but she didn't say anything. Instead, she gave his hand a slight squeeze and led him back through the crowd.

 **….**

 **Friday November 20 2017 11:45pm**

 **The streets of downtown Konoha**

 **...**

Hinata took a deep breath of fresh air for the first time in two hours as she pressed her ringing phone to her ear. The cold winter air blew through her hair and provided relief to her overheated skin. Trying to find her friends when they didn't want to be found was a little like herding cats. Impossible even under the best of circumstances. Going to search for her cousin and Tenten had proven to be pointless. There was neither hide nor hair of the two no matter where they looked leading Hinata to believe that they'd left the building. Sakura had sent out a group message letting everyone know that she was heading home early. A move that Hinata found odd but didn't question it too much. Maybe she was maturing? Sakura _was_ always the one to not want to leave until the lights came on. Now the only person left to locate was Ino and she wasn't answering her phone. Hinata groaned and hung up as the line eventually sent her to her friend's voicemail.

"No answer?" Sasuke asked and she nodded her head.

Worry set in as she wondered just what kind of mess Ino might have gotten into. Sasuke pulled out his own phone and swiped until he found what he was looking for. He set the phone to speaker and held it out so she could see the caller id.

'Naruto?' She thought. 'What was he doing here?'

Naruto answered his phone after only three rings but it wasn't him who picked up the phone. Instead of Naruto's cheery voice all that greeted them were drunk giggles that undeniably belonged to Ino.

"Ah! Sorry, Sasuke!" She moaned into the phone. "Naruto's a little ah- busy at the m-moment!"

Sasuke immediately hung up the phone and shoved it into his coat pocket. Hinata covered her now red face with her hands, all of the worries she felt earlier disappated into the night. At least they knew where Ino was now. The silver lining in all of this was that no one was hurt that she knew of and there weren't any managers she had to speak to. However, it was going to be difficult to get the sound of Ino moaning out of her head. Sasuke gently pulled one of her hands off of her face, intertwining their fingers once more. They had only stopped holding hands to try to make calls, not once had he released her as they wove in and out of the crowd.

Now that they were outside she could fully focus on how warm his hand felt when it surrounded hers. How safe she felt when he pulled her closer. She knew she shouldn't feel like this towards the Uchiha. What would her father say if he found out? He would likely be furious. She was putting his plans in jeopardy and potentially upending Hanabi's future. If her mother was here what would she say? Would she allow her father to give her away via an arranged marriage or would she want her to make her own choice? How had her mother felt when she went through her own arranged marriage? Was she happy? Scared?

"You are thinking rather hard Hyuuga." Sasuke said, snapping Hinata out of her thoughts.

The woman looked up and noticed that they had walked all the way to the Abekawa bridge without her realizing it. She blushed at her own absentmindedness.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked and Hinata sighed.

"My mother."

Silence fell over them as her words were carried away by the winter wind. She let go of Sasuke's hand and leaned against the metal railing, looking out at the black water below. She didn't like talking about her mother, it always made her sad but she couldn't lie around Sasuke. He always knew when she was lying. The Uchiha stood beside her and pressed his weight against his forearms on the railing.

"According to my mother, your mom was an interesting woman." He said, causing her to tear away from the still water.

"R-really?" She asked breathlessly and he nodded.

"I'm sure she'd enjoy talking to you about her. Then she can talk your ear off instead of mine for once."

Hinata felt her eyes begin to prick with tears but she did her best to hold them back. No one spoke of her mother in the Hyuuga household. The name Hikari Hyuuga never passed anyone's lips after the day Hanabi came home from the hospital. Her pictures had been removed from the walls and her belongings swept away into storage. No one would have ever known that such a woman as Hikari Hyuuga had ever existed within in the compound. Even though she was no more than eight at the time she knew that it was her father's way of grieving. She held out hope that one day the items would return to their rightful place but that day never came. A small piece of her resented him for that. Shaking her head she looked back up at Sasuke with a watery smile.

"I'd like that."

 **…..**

 **Saturday, November 21, 2017, 9:21 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Sasuke!" She protested as he wrapped a sleepy arm around her waist and dragged her back into the bed. "I need to make breakfast!"

"Hn." He grumbled and pulled her closer into his chest.

He didn't want breakfast. He didn't want to get up and acknowledge the day ahead. When they were in bed all he had to focus on was her. There were no work obligations. No asinine requests. There was only her and it felt as if the world were put on pause. She squirmed in his arms but that only made him hold her tighter.

"I don't want breakfast." He said but the growl of his stomach denied that claim. Hinata smiled and tried to push him away.

"Your stomach says otherwise."

Not one to be made fun of, he rolled over so that she was trapped underneath him. He spread her legs and toyed with the waistband of her borrowed pajama bottoms.

"I'd rather eat something else." He growled and her face immediately turned a brilliant shade of crimson.

"Sasuke-" was all she was able to get out before his lips were on hers, taking full advantage of her open mouth.

Her protests were weak at best and soon she was reacting just as greedily as he was. It was another hour before he finally let her up from his bed and even that was done with reluctance. He certainly didn't wish for her to leave the apartment but it was only with the promise that she would make him fried green tomatoes when she returned that he allowed her to depart. That was only fifteen minutes ago and like a child, he wished she was back already. Begrudgingly he got up from his now empty bed and made himself decent enough to leave his room. Hinata would be back soon enough, the least he could do was put on a pot of hot water for their tea and coffee.

'Tea.' He thought to himself as he rummaged through their cabinets. 'Who would have thought I would willingly making tea for another person let alone the Hyuuga heiress.'

His father was right about one thing. He had grown to care for Hinata, more than even he had initially realized...

 _Sasuke closed his composition folder and made his way to his father's study. Stacks upon stacks of paperwork surrounded his desk. Coffee stains were stamped on a few of the documents while a plate of a half eaten sandwich rested at the top of another stack. His computer screen was dark at the moment but Sasuke knew it would not remain that way for long. The blue light that emanated from the screen was always a constant in his life even if his father wasn't._

 _When he was a small child he would lay flush against the floor so that he could see into the gap under the door. When the blue light was spilling out from behind the closed door that always meant that his father was home. He'd push his fingers through the gap and_ _tried to wiggle them to get his father's attention. His mother always scooped him up from the floor when he had fallen asleep from his failed attempts. Sasuke wasn't sure when, but eventually, he just stopped trying._

 _Shaking his head of the childish memory he sat down in one of high backed leather chairs just as his father entered the office. He closed the door quietly behind him and took a seat at his messy desk._ _Fugaku's study was the bane of Mikoto's existence but out of love, or perhaps surrender, she allowed him to have this one hole of chaos within her pristine house. Sasuke wrinkled his nose as his father let out a tired sigh. He reeked of expensive brandy and cigars._

 _"You shouldn't stay out so late." Sasuke grumbled. "You know she waits up for you."_

 _Fugaku rested his chin in his open palm as he leaned slightly to the left, his chair creaking underneath his weight._

 _"There are some things that can't be helped. She understands that." Fugaku said calmly. "We are not here to talk about me or your mother. It seems as though you have gotten yourself in too deep with the Hyuuga. I thought we raised you better than to fuck business partners. Out of all the women you could have, you just had to stick your dick into Hiashi's heir."_

 _Sasuke stared back at his father impassively, neither confirming or denying his statement._

 _"You managed to outsmart the Hyuuga shareholders but you will not be able to out maneuver Hiashi. He will do whatever it takes to oust you from that position. He does not like his plans to be threatened." Fugaku said as he straightened up in his chair and began to remove his tie from around his neck. "Your demand for his daughter in exchange for the portion of his company puts him between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he will have to confer all decisions made in the Hyuuga company name through you and nothing hurts a Hyuuga's pride more than having to adhere to the word of an Uchiha."_

 _"Conversely, if he were to allow your relationship to continue you'd eventually take control of the entire company when he stepped down leading him right back to the first outcome. Is that what you're angling for? Control of the Hyuuga through her?"_

 _Sasuke's eyes narrowed at his father's accusation. It actually hadn't crossed his mind that if he and Hinata were to continue into something more serious the Hyuuga company would be completely swallowed up by the merge that bound their two companies closer than ever before. Their independence was held by no more than a few semantics, amounting to no more than a tenuous symbiotic relationship. Since his father had split their company evenly between himself and Itachi he was no longer a second son without ties. Hiashi no doubt saw him as a threat. A threat to the continuation of the Hyuuga line. Fugaku studied Sasuke's face carefully as he unbuttoned the top three buttons of his coal gray shirt and shook his head._

 _"No. That is not what you're after." His father said finally, dark eyes piercing through him. "You are a fool. You have actually come to care for the heiress which is unfortunate. She will not be worth the effort. Find someone else."_

…. _Find someone else?_ Those words had rolled off his father's tongue so easily as if it were actually possible to do such a thing. There _was_ no one else. If his father had wished for him to take up company with any woman other than Hinata then he should have never brought their family back to Konoha. The only way that he would not have ended up falling for the shy woman was if he'd have never known of her existence. He might be a fool in his father's eyes but he knew what he wanted and he was not going to give it up.

Sasuke scoffed at the thought of actually overseeing the engagement of Gaara and Hinata the way Hiashi was angling for him to. In Sasuke's mind, the man took great joy in tormenting others but the Uchiha was not going to give the man the satisfaction of seeing him squirm. The water on the stove screamed to life and he took it off the gas. He'd already filled his french press with coffee grounds so he poured in the hot water. He waited a bit to allow the mixture to steep before he pressed down. The darker the coffee the better.

"Morning little brother." Itachi yawned as he dragged his feet into the kitchen.

"Morning." Sasuke replied and poured himself his well-earned cup of coffee.

Itachi scrunched up his nose at the dark substance before busying himself with something much sweeter in the fridge. Shuffling past his older brother, he made his way into the living room. He turned on the television and absently flipped through the channels until he found the news. He didn't usually watch television but it would be enough to keep him distracted until Hinata returned. He settled back into the couch and scrolled through his missed messages on his phone. Seventeen missed calls...what the hell?

"The story is still developing as we speak but if we believe what we see with our own eyes, this is the biggest scandal we've witnessed in well over a decade!"

"Who is this mystery woman and what does she mean to the stability of our nation?"

"I expected so much more from the son of our dear leader!"

Sasuke's head immediately snapped up at the mention of 'son' and stared wide eyed at the two pictures enlarged on his screen. Underneath the pictures was the head-turning tagline: Uzumaki's Wild Night. To the right was a picture of Naruto kissing Ino inside of the club. The photo was grainy, dark, and could be denied but the second picture was much clearer. It contained Naruto escorting Ino to his car with a few of his unmistakable body guards at his side. Sasuke placed his coffee mug on the low table in front of him and let out a low breath. He couldn't believe it, never would he admit it aloud, but for once he agreed with the Hyuuga head's reasoning. It was no wonder Hiashi had kept the relationship between Hinata and Naruto under wraps. The press wanted Ino's blood. If Hinata's relationship with Naruto had been exposed she would have been subjected to the same brutal treatment.

"Naruto you dumbass."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	25. Photgraphs

**CCNote : Happy Thursday! The kids are all prepping for sports day today. Since I am of zero productive use at a time like this, I've had all morning to churn this out for yall. At times like this, all I'm good for is cheering and making sure that some of my criminal boys stay out of trouble. I did get a kick out of watching my kids desperately run laps up and down five flights of stairs today though. Poor babies. The other teachers and I all lined up to watch the struggle. It was nothing short of hilarious. Can't wait for the actual event!**

 ** _To Splaaash-Attack:_ I always enjoy seeing your emails in my inbox! They are always so positive and make me so happy!**

 ** _To Banjo the Fox:_ I sent you a PM. Are you okay? You've sent me lots of reviews before, all negative but now I'm starting to feel concerned. I know you read this fic and so I'm reaching out to you. I don't care if you hate my writing or think it's trash. I'm genuinely concerned because you have been so consistently angry. Do you need someone to talk to? If so I'm here.**

 ** _To all of my guest reviewers who write two or 3 words:_ yall are the best! Honestly! Just saying "It's great!" Or "I like it!" Is enough to fuel me to the next chapter. I enjoy making others happy and your reviews let me know I'm doing just that. Thank you for taking time out of your day to review.**

 **Alrighty then! Excuse all typos as usual. I'm still without a BETA. If anyone wants the job hmu. This is the longest chapter to date so get comfy. Other than that, enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **Photographs**

 **Saturday, November 21, 2017, 11:51 am**

 **Leaf International Hotel and Suites**

 **...**

Sasuke frowned as he exited the elevator on the floor as his texts from Naruto had instructed him to go to. The blonde was officially idiot of the year but at least he had the decency to not take Ino to the Hokage mansion. He could only imagine the expansive grounds of the four hundred-year-old villa currently swamped with reporters just dying to get a glimpse of Ino's walk of shame. He was sure the picture of such an event would be worth several months wages for any photographer lucky enough to get a clear shot.

Stoically standing outside of his hotel room door, the guards gave the Uchiha a stiff nod before knocking to alert the room's occupants. Naruto opened the door almost immediately. His blue eyes held more worry than Sasuke had ever seen within them before. It was only a few short hours ago the blonde had been nothing but smiles. Sasuke stepped into the spacious hotel room, surprised to find the suite fairly clean. There were pillows tossed all over the place and a cart full of food left untouched but it was a sight better than how he and Hinata had left his hotel room the night they met. They had broken a lamp and he still wasn't able to find his boxers the next morning no matter how much he searched.

"Thanks for coming Sasuke." Naruto said in a weary voice. Sasuke nodded his head and followed him from the living room into the bedroom.

Sasuke could already hear the low murmur of commentators through the bedroom door and knew that wasn't a good sign. Inside of the room, Ino sat in the middle of the bed with the blankets wrapped around her entire body, only her red rimmed eyes were visible.

 _"I just don't understand how he can cheapen himself to do such a thing Kana!"_ A shrill female voice tsked. _"He has all the potential in the world. He can have anyone and he chooses this? She didn't even go to a top university if she even went to one at all!"_

 _"We do not know that for sure. Everything at this point is just hearsay."_ A male voice tempered but several other voices scoffed.

 _"Pfft! Whatever. I don't see how this will benefit the Uzumaki power in the least. She's probably nothing more than a hanger on. Hopefully, we will see a more suitable match in his future! Our country depends on it!"_

 _"I can't argue with you there!"_

 _"In other news, do you know what your child is calling 'crack' these-"_

Naruto angrily shut off the television but Ino didn't look at them. She stared at the black screen without blinking, her blue eyes filling up with unshed tears.

"Ino-" Naruto started but his voice faltered. Whatever he was going to say died on his lips, for once at a loss for what to say.

"They found my family's shop." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I told my dad not to put my face on the new flyers but he just didn't listen. It's only a matter of time before they know where I live too."

"Ino, these things blow over with time. Within forty-eight hours they will have another big story to focus on. Don't worry about it-"

"Don't worry about it?" Ino hissed, her eyes now turned to the two men in the doorway in anger. "Don't worry about it! My parents will be opening the shop in less than an hour and will be bombarded with questions they can't answer. They're already dragging my name through the mud and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours, I can't imagine what they'll say when they have more time to find out more about me!"

"Ino, calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down! They're already calling me the 'Whore of Konoha' online all because I'm a nobody who dared to be with the Hokage's son!"

Sasuke silently edged his way out of the bedroom. This was not a conversation he needed to be a part of. The walls of the hotel were thin however and he could still hear every word.

"You knew who I was when you met me. It was not a problem then."

"That's because I didn't care! To me you're _just_ Naruto, Not Naruto-the-Hokage's-son. Not Naruto-the-future-of-the-goddamn-country. I don't know what I expected but I'm not ready for any of this!"

The Uchiha made his way into the living room to find his true reason for coming at Naruto's request. Sure he had agreed to be the one to escort Ino back home but what he was really after was the man's phone. Naruto was not a complete idiot but he did let things slip that shouldn't. He kept things that he shouldn't. If there was even a chance of Naruto's phone containing connections to his relationship with Hinata that would only spell trouble. It was only a matter of time before a curious hacker tried to break into his phone and leak embarrassing details for the highest bidder.

There on the coffee table sat his goal, vibrating incessantly with calls from his mother Kushina. No doubt she had seen the news as well and was trying to get to the bottom of what was going on. Sasuke sent the call to voicemail and swiped through the phone. He found old text messages from Hinata, all of which were mundane but a stab of anger hit him in the gut.

Hinata asking him what time he'd be home...

That there were leftovers waiting for him in the fridge...

That she left her key on the kitchen table...

Movers would be by to remove her things...

A part of him was jealous that they'd had a three-year history together. There were moments shared between the two of them that he would never be privy to. Part of him didn't want to know. Without a second thought, he deleted three years worth of text messages with the press of a single button. He then moved on to Naruto's photos. There weren't many. Most of them were of food or pictures with foreign dignitaries. There were several candid pictures of Ino in her shop, trimming roses and watering displays. Naruto was not the best photographer, his thumb was caught in a lot of the pictures but he could see from the most recent pictures that he did care for Ino.

Sasuke had almost given up scrolling through the photos when he finally found Hinata's face. She was smiling over a cake, all twenty-three of the candles lit, and her eyes were bright. Her hair was a lot shorter, cheeks slightly pudgy with baby fat that she had yet to grow out of. Just how long he stared at the image he wasn't quite sure but in the end, he didn't delete it right away. Instead, he sent it to his own phone at the same time that the bedroom door swung open.

"Ino-" Naruto called after her.

Sasuke looked up from Naruto's phone to see the blonde woman storming down the hall towards him.

"I just need time to think!" She shouted over her shoulder. "Sasuke will you-wait, why do you have Naruto's phone?"

Before he could even blink she had snatched the phone out of his hand and stared at the picture of Hinata with a blank look on her face. Naruto came up behind her and smacked his forehead when he saw what she was looking at.

"This can't be happening." She said, her voice tight.

"Ino I can explain-" he started but she shoved his phone into his chest before rounding on Sasuke.

"We were talking about the same Hinata this entire time weren't we?" She snapped. "Is this some kind of game you two play? Do you pass around each other's girlfriends like it's some sort of competition?"

"That's not what this is." Sasuke said flatly, however, Ino was not in the right mindset to listen.

Sucking in her teeth, she pushed around the Uchiha and headed straight for the suite's exit.

 **…..**

 **Saturday, November 21, 2017, 11:59 am**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Ho-hold the door please!" Hinata called out breathlessly just as the elevator doors were about to close.

It would take forever for the elevator to return once it went up and she didn't want her groceries to melt from the lobby's heat. To her immense relief, the shiny metal doors slid back open and Hinata hastily shuffled inside with her arms loaded down with plastic bags. Today was her lucky day!

"Hello, Hinata." A soft voice said causing Hinata to cease her internal celebration.

Standing before her with a slender finger poised to press the close button was none other than Mikoto Uchiha. On her face was a broad smile, around her neck a rather expensive looking camera. For a moment she was stunned by the woman's appearance but then mentally kicked herself. The Uchiha brothers' parents lived in the suite below theirs, it was only a matter of time before she'd bumped into one of them. Catching herself for her bad manners she bowed deeply to the Uchiha matriarch and prayed that her hair covered up how red her face was.

"G-g-good morning Mrs. U-uchiha!" She squeaked, embarrassment leeching out even into her speech.

"I didn't expect to see you here, let alone so early in the day. Has one of my boys done something wrong?" She asked curiously.

Hinata shook her head furiously with eyes till downcast to the floor. Her plastic grocery bags rustled with the movement. Mikoto eyed the bags with a knowing look.

"Those look much too heavy for you to carry on your own." She clicked her tongue and reached for the bags in Hinata's left hand.

"N-no!" Hinata replied taking a step back. She couldn't possibly make Mikoto go out of her way to do such a thing. "I-I got it!"

"Nonsense." The older woman chided just as the elevator dinged for her floor.

She reached for the bags and allowed the elevator to pass her floor. There wasn't much use protesting when Mikoto got an idea in her head so Hinata reluctantly allowed her to carry half of the groceries into the Uchiha brother's apartment. She was surprised to find it so quiet but a hastily written note on the fridge from Sasuke let her know that he would be back soon. Mikoto placed the grocery bags on the kitchen island and immediately began putting things away.

"Y-y-you don't have to do that!" Hinata said and the woman flashed her a bright smile as she removed the camera from around her neck.

"I know. I want to." She said and pulled out a carton of strawberries. "Besides it looks like you're making breakfast! Itachi told me that you've managed to get Sasuke into the kitchen to make cinnamon rolls. I want to see how good you are for myself!"

Hinata blushed. She was sure that whatever Itachi had told his mother had been embellished per his usual style but it was nice to hear. Nervously she nodded her head and the two women set to work making a rather late breakfast. At first, Hinata was nervous. She'd never had much interaction with her mother's old friend but the woman didn't seem to mind. She treated Hinata as if she'd known her for years. Mikoto was just as talkative as Sasuke had inferred yet Hinata quickly found herself enjoying the sound of her voice. When the last of the tomatoes were fried and the omelets completed, the two women set the dining room table.

"Those boys are missing out!" Mikoto laughed as they only placed down enough plates for two. "Oh! This is perfect!"

"Huh?" Hinata blinked.

Mikoto clasped her hands in front of her chest, her eyes bright with mischief.

"Do you want to see something?" She asked but before Hinata could answer she was already heading towards the front door. "Wait here!"

She returned a few moments later with her arms ladened down with two large photo albums. Hinata only had time to place the bowl of fruit salad on the table before Mikoto forced her to sit down and plopped one of the albums in her lap.

"Itachi has never brought any of his girlfriends home! I've always wanted to show off embarrassing baby pictures but the boy is too smart and hides everyone away!" She grinned and Hinata's face immediately lost all of its color. She shook her head rapidly causing Mikoto's grin to waver.

"You're Sasuke's girlfriend?" She asked, her tone still hopeful.

This time Hinata blushed but she still shook her head. They weren't official but she couldn't exactly disclose the extent of her complicated relationship with Sasuke. Especially not to his mother. Mikoto pouted and rested her chin in her hands.

"These boys will be the death of me." She sighed. "At this rate, I'll never have grandchildren to spoil."

"S-sorry?" Hinata mumbled guiltily but Mikoto waved away her apology

"It's not your fault my sons are idiots. Here they have a pretty girl making breakfast for them and they are nowhere to be found. Do forgive me! I fear I may have failed at raising them."

Hinata giggled at Mikoto's melodramatics and the woman smiled back. Undeterred by the fact that her sons were still woefully 'single', she opened up one of the albums and started showing off their pictures anyway. Hinata piled Mikoto's plate high with food as she gushed over naked baby butts and smash cakes. The Uchiha brothers were probably the most adorable babies she had ever seen and their mother delighted immensely in showing them off. Her chest swelled with pride as they went through photos of Sasuke's cello recitals and Itachi's award ceremonies. Their stomachs were full to bursting by the time they made it to the second album. This one was filled with milestones for the boys although there was a special section dedicated to Sasuke's tastes or lack thereof.

"Sasuke is the pickiest person when it comes to food." Mikoto explained as they flipped through multitudes of shots of Sasuke with an upturned nose and a frown. "He's been that way since before he was even born. All Uchiha men are actually."

"Really?" Hinata laughed and the older woman nodded emphatically.

"Yes! I love to eat shellfish. Crabs, shrimp, you name it. When I was pregnant with both Itachi and Sasuke I wasn't able to eat any of it without it making me violently ill. Turns out a shellfish allergy runs in the family." She explained, a hint of longing in her voice. "I haven't been able to look at a crab leg the same way in years-"

"Mother?" A deep voice interrupted and the two women look up to see Sasuke staring at them blankly. "What are you doing here?"

"What am _I_ doing here? Where were _you_? Poor Hinata would have had to make this entire meal on her own if I hadn't run into her." Mikoto chided before returning to her photographic documentation of Sasuke's exposure to new foods. "This is when we made him try a lemon!"

Hinata smiled at the red faced boy no older than two, his mouth puckered up in disgust. She glanced back up at the full grown man who's left eye twitched erratically at his mother's antics. She flashed him a sympathetic smile but continued to listen to Mikoto's stories.

 **…...**

 **Saturday, November 21, 2017, 2:10 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Ah!" Mikoto sighed with satisfaction. "That was fun."

"Mm!" Hinata agreed as she sipped her now cooled tea. "Sasuke was a very cute baby."

"He was absolutely adorable!" The older woman began to gush but paused. "Wait, I have something you might want to see. It almost escaped me!"

She pulled out a picture that had been slipped behind into the sleeve of the first album and wordlessly handed it to Hinata. For a moment her heart stopped. She couldn't even tell if she was still breathing or not. The woman in the picture was like looking at a reflection. If Hinata didn't know any better she would have thought that she was looking at herself. The woman had long dark hair, just a few inches longer than how her own was. Her lips. Her nose. The way she cocked her head to the side as she smiled at the photographer. It was all too similar to chalk up to mere coincidence. The only thing different between the two of them was the fact that the woman in the picture's belly was swollen, her arms resting protectively over the protrusion.

"This is the only picture I have of Hikari." Mikoto said. "I loved taking photographs as a teenager. I used to have tons of pictures of us together growing up. Unfortunately, we've moved around so much my pictures have gotten lost in the shuffle. I can't even find my old wedding photos. These albums are all I have left of my sons' childhood."

The younger woman nodded her head as she greedily drank in the image of her mother smiling and carefree. It could very well be the last time she saw her mother's face. A rush of emotion hit her at once and it was all she could do to not cry.

"This picture was taken when she was pregnant with your younger sister. She always did carry herself so well. It made me jealous now that I think about it. I looked like a beached whale but she was perfect."

Hinata wanted to laugh but the sound she released was akin more to a choke than a giggle. Mikoto smiled none the less. The Uchiha took the picture from Hinata's grasp and beamed down at the picture of her late childhood friend.

"I don't have many regrets in my life but I regret how I let our relationship dwindle with time. I wish we hadn't let our husbands' petty rivalry keep us apart. I...I wish I had told her how much I loved her." She said softly, her genuine smile never once faltering from her lips. "I'll go get something for you to take this home in so it doesn't get damaged."

"Oh no, Mrs. Uchiha, I-I couldn't!" Hinata said shakily, she couldn't take Mikoto's only photo of her mother even though the selfish side of her wanted nothing more than to hold it close.

"Nonsense dear." Mikoto smiled, rising up from her seat and taking the photo albums with her. "I'll be back shortly."

When the front door closed behind her, Hinata stood up from her chair feeling much lighter than she had in a long time despite her heavy breakfast. She gathered their dirty dishes from the dining room table and brought them into the kitchen. Sasuke was there, leaning against the granite island with a fresh cup of coffee in one hand and a manilla folder in the other. She clicked her tongue at the sight of the youngest Uchiha. He raised a curious eyebrow at her and took a sip of coffee.

"You shouldn't bring your work home." She chided gently as she turned on the sink faucet and filled the stainless steel basin with warm, soapy water.

Sasuke ignored her reprimand in favor of ditching his coffee and folder on the counter. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Automatically she relaxed into his warm embrace, the smell of his body wash and coffee filling her nose.

"Did you enjoy my mother embarrassing me?" He asked in a low voice. "And she wonders why we won't let her meet any friends."

"She wasn't embarrassing at all!" Hinata defended, a coy smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"She showed you pictures of Itachi and I bathing together. That is embarrassing."

"It's cute!"

"Hn."

Silence fell between them as the sink filled up. Mikoto wasn't embarrassing at all. Hinata had enjoyed her company, surprised at how gentle she was in comparison to her stubborn sons. However, as she dipped her hands into the water, Mikoto last words to her struck a chord.

' _I wish I had told her how much I loved her.'_

Hinata remembered her mother showering her with kisses when she was young even though she could no longer remember her face. She knew that her mother professed her love for her constantly despite the fact that she couldn't remember her voice. Time had taken so much from her but she knew that her mother cared for her deeply. She didn't want to regret not saying those words the way Mikoto did. Not when her future was as uncertain as it currently resided. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she turned around in Sasuke's arms to face him. Obsidian eyes looked down into her own with amusement and that unknown emotion she could never quite figure out.

"Sasuke." She said, proud of the fact that her voice didn't crack. "I love you."

Sasuke's eyes instantly softened at her words and he brought his hands up to cup her face. His thumbs caressed her flushed cheeks, this time free from the tears that had been shed during her previous confession. Her eyes fluttered closed as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers. He tasted bitter like his coffee but she only wanted more. She wanted to give him more, to convey fully the emotions she held in her heart. Her slick fingers clutched the edge of the countertop, relishing the way his lips move against hers. That is until the unmistakable sound of a camera shutter going off interrupted their little world. They broke away from each other slightly to see Mikoto with an impish grin on her face as she lowered her camera.

"I approve!" She squealed and took another picture.

Hinata hid her burning face in Sasuke's chest as the woman continued to take a million photos in spite of Sasuke's demands that she stop.

"Which do you prefer? A spring wedding or a fall wedding? Ah! Sasuke, your father is going to flip! I'm so excited!"

 **…..**

 **Thursday, November 26, 2017, 5:30 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Hiashi and his father to finish speaking with the land owners all vying to be the one to host the new site of the combined Hyuuga and Uchiha head quarters. The meeting had gone on much longer than Sasuke would have preferred. He hadn't been able to do more than enter the building on Monday morning before Hiashi had whisked him away to tour different sites. Each viewing was more tedious than the last. Some of the sites they visited were clearly not worth their time but the man took him there anyway if only to try his patience.

Despite how irritated he felt by Hiashi wasting his time he held his tongue. At some point an opening would reveal itself, a loophole he could use to unravel the agreement between the Hyuuga and Sabaku. He had poured over the marriage contract, searching for a way to negate the agreement but so far he'd only come up empty. The Hyuuga lawyers were much too through for their own good. When the ass kissing finally ended, Sasuke slipped out of the room as quickly as he could ignoring the disapproving looks of Hiashi and his father. He didn't have much time to get to the coffee shop before Kiba and Neji arrived.

"Uchiha." Hiashi spoke up just as he reached to door. "You should stay behind to converse with the bidders to see which would be the most viable for our future plans."

Sasuke's back tensed at the sound of the man's voice but he turned around anyway. He eyed the hopeful men and women in the room, all thirsty for the lucrative deal laid before them. It was sickening.

"All of your prices are too high for the acreage. Either up the amount of land or no deal." The young Uchiha said flatly. He opened the door calmly as the bomb he detonated exploded in his elders' faces.

 **…..**

 **Thursday, November 26, 2017, 6:01 pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

"These are all high quality." Kiba said with a smirk. "I can't take less than top asking."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Neji pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Kiba we have to furnish an entire compound with these." Neji said firmly. "Lower your price."

Sasuke took his eyes away from the haggling men and flipped through the projected outcomes of the investments he had green lighted to receive Hyuuga funding. Everything appeared to be in order and since they had plugged up the leaks the Hyuuga accounts were increasing. A fact that made Hiashi Hyuuga surprisingly irritated. Sasuke smirked as he remembered the man's face the morning Neji had told him the news. The man hadn't realized just how much money they'd been losing and he certainly didn't want to give Sasuke credit for putting a stop to it. Sasuke knew that every day he remained a shareholder was a sore reminder to Hiashi of someone else being able to do something he couldn't.

"What is all this for anyway?" Kiba asked, still unwilling to budge from his initial asking price.

"I've already told you it's none of your business." Neji replied as Tenten set his usual order of green tea in front of him.

Sasuke watched curiously from his notebook as Kiba stared transfixed at the brunette as she walked away. The man let out a low whistle of appreciation as she bent over to clear an adjacent table of its dirty dishes.

"Now that's a woman." he said suggestively when he turned back to the Hyuuga and Uchiha. "Ow! What did you do that for?"

Kiba furiously rubbed his shin under the table and glared at Neji. Sasuke almost felt sympathy for the naive man and Tenten. If Neji assaulted every man that complimented the waitress she was going to end up an old maid. If the Hyuuga had his way, Tenten being an old maid wasn't that bad of an idea. Neji didn't apologize for his unprofessional assault either.

"Lower your price." the Hyuuga reiterated.

"Where is Hinata?" Kiba asked as he leaned back in his chair. "I'd rather negotiate with her."

"Hinata is busy."

"That's too bad." Kiba said with a sigh. "I'm much easier to persuade if it's a pretty face negotiating. I know she would be flexible- OW! What the fuck is wrong with you guys?"

Neither Neji nor Sasuke apologized for their simultaneous attack on Kiba's shins.

"Lower your price. Have the order ready the week of the twenty-seventh." Neji said calmly and sipped his tea.

 **…..**

 **Friday, November 27, 2017, 3:30 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Hinata sighed she closed the door to the conference room. It was her last meeting of the week and things were going along well in all of the departments below her. Usually speaking in front of her subordinates was something that she dreaded but over the last few weeks, she had been gaining more and more confidence. The Hyuuga and Uchiha employees were starting to take note as well which gave Hinata great pleasure. Too bad Sasuke wasn't by her side to see how his female employees were slowly resigning themselves to respect her authority. The thought of Sasuke made her bite her bottom lip for the umpteenth time that day. At times she felt like she could feel his eyes watching her from afar but whenever she turned around he was nowhere to be found. He wasn't answering any of her calls and because of that she was hesitant to pay a visit to his penthouse. Was he avoiding her? Had he grown tired of her so quickly? Had her second confession been too much for him?

"Whatever you are thinking about, I suggest you stop." Itachi said as he playfully ruffled her hair.

Hinata shook her head and attempted to lay her dark strands flat on her head once more. Itachi pressed his lips together in a thin line of disapproval.

"That usually gets you to smile." Itachi said absently. "What's on your mind?"

Hinata lowered her eyes to the ground and adjusted the stack of manila folders in her arms. Would Itachi know where Sasuke was? He was his older brother after all. She didn't want to look desperate but in a way she was. She missed him.

"Itachi...have you seen Sasuke lately?" she asked. Hinata was surprised at how Itachi's face darkened a bit and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I was hoping that you knew. Food disappears consistently from the fridge but I have not seen him all week." Itachi replied. "I imagine he's trying to get out of replacing my brandy he destroyed."

Hinata felt her heart sink back into her stomach. There was only one other person who knew where Sasuke was at all times but Hinata didn't want to talk to her. Hinata knew that she should not avoid Sakura like this but every time she crossed paths with Sakura the pink haired woman acted so strange. Loud metal music emanated from her blazer pocket, making Hinata jump in surprise. Frantically she looked for somewhere to set her folders down so that she could answer the call. Itachi smirked and took the stack out of her arms to which she flashed him a small, grateful smile. She quickly retrieved her phone from her pocket and swiped to answer the call. She pressed the speaker phone button and took her folders back from Itachi.

"Hinata!" Hanabi cried on the other end of the phone.

"Ha-Hanabi? What's wrong?" Hinata asked, hearing the distress in her sister's voice.

"I-I'm going to look stupid! What do I do? They're going to think I'm not good enough and reject me. They're going to tell him he can't see me anymore. Oh my god I'm going to ruin everything! I-"

"Hanabi slow down!" Hinata urged and Hanabi took a shaky breath on the other end of the phone.

"Can you come home? I...I really need your help." Hanabi asked in a small voice.

Hinata felt the worry in her chest lessen as Hanabi finally sounded like she was calming down. She looked up at Itachi who nodded his head.

"Okay. I'll be home soon." Hinata answered and Hanabi let out a sigh of relief before hanging up the phone. "I hope that covering for me won't be too much of a burden."

Itachi shook his head and waved off her concern. He took the stack of folders once more out of Hinata's reluctant arms.

"Younger siblings can be a handful, I know." He said with a smirk. "In regards to my own troublesome little brother do not take his sudden disappearance personally. He always has his reasons and he always comes back around."

Hinata wasn't so sure about Itachi's words but decided to take hope in them anyway. Itachi knew his brother best after all. She bowed apologetically to her older counterpart before power walking to the elevators. Hanabi had really sounded panicked on the phone, hopefully, the girl calmed down before she arrived. A high strung Hanabi was a force to be reckoned with. Thankfully since it was not quite the end of the work day the elevators were not as crowded with people as they usually were so she was able to make it down to the bottom floor in record time.

She pushed through the heavy glass doors of the main lobby and rushed down the walkway to the bustling street ahead. She squinted her eyes as she adjusted to the bright sunlight above that betrayed the chilly afternoon air. She looked left and right, trying to spot an available taxi nearby as she ran down the cobblestoned path. While she knew that she could always call her driver from the Hyuuga compound but it would take too much time for him to drive all the way from the compound and back. When she reached the end of the curb she extended her hand to hail one of the many yellow taxis whizzing by but none of them stopped for her.

"Taxi!" She shouted over the noise of the bustling city. "Taxi!"

She ignored the odd looks she was getting from passersby and continued to try to flag down a mode of transportation. Just then a sleek and very familiar black town car with tinted windows pulled up in front of her and she jumped back to avoid its side running up against her. She lowered her hand as the driver quickly exited the car and ran around to the back to open the door. Hinata gulped as her father stepped out of the car, pale eyes gazing down at her with a mild sense of disapproval. Hinata bowed immediately, her dark hair falling like a curtain around her.

"Good afternoon father!" She squeaked, inwardly wanting to kick herself for her earlier behavior. There was nothing more unbecoming than a Hyuuga hailing a cab.

"Hinata." Hiashi said simply, followed by the faint sound of the car door closing. "Where are you going?"

Hinata rose from her bow, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. She opened her mouth to answer but was caught off guard by Sasuke standing by her father's side. He was a head taller than her father and his very presence distracted her from the fact that her father was even there. A blush inadvertently spread over her cheeks as his dark eyes looked her up and down. Within the obsidian was that same inexplicable emotion that always made her feel like she was drowning. However, once the initial euphoria of seeing him again passed, a wave of confusion, anger, and hurt washed over her. The intensity of the conflicting emotions caused her to take a half step back.

"Hinata." Her father reiterated, ripping her attention away from Sasuke. "Where are you going?"

"H-h-home." She replied guilty and ashamed for not answering him properly the first time.

Hiashi nodded and gestured for the driver to open the door to the backseat once more. Hinata bowed her head slightly in understanding and got into the vehicle. The door closed behind her and the driver quickly scampered around to the driver's seat. Hinata watched as her father began making his way up towards the building, back stiff and head held high. Sasuke did not follow him and although the tinted windows of the town car made her invisible to him it felt as though he was looking right at her.

She pressed her hand against the cool glass, wishing for nothing more than his hand instead. As the car pulled away from the curb a million thoughts ran through her head at once. What had Sasuke been doing all week? Why did her father let her leave so easily without an interrogation? What were they even doing together? Her heart pounded violently against her chest as the Hyuuga Enterprise building receded into the background and with it all of the answers to her questions.

 **…..**

 **Friday, November 27, 2017, 4:00 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

As Hinata climbed the stairs of the main house the muffled sound of heavy things being thrown grew louder and louder. The small woman hurried down the hall, a million worst case scenarios swirling through her head. When she reached Hanabi's room was the first door at the top of the winding staircase the noises suddenly ceased. Surprised by the silence, Hinata placed her hand on the crystal doorknob and pressed her ear against the room. She jumped back when something heavy hit the door and fell to the floor.

Without a second more of hesitation, Hinata wrenched open the door to be greeted by an avalanche of brightly colored cloth. The thin parchment that had been tucked between the folds of the silk dotted the room like snow. Winter kimonos and summer yukata alike were thrown all over the room. Obis hung haphazardly from the vanity and the bed. Expensive baubles for her hair were upturned on her little sister's dresser. In the middle of the chaos was Hanabi pulling yet another heavy kimono from a storage trunk that Hinata knew not to belong to her. There was no doubt in Hinata's mind that Hanabi had somehow managed to bribe the servants into pulling kimonos out of the Hyuuga family storage.

The girl turned the heavy, dark blue material back and forth as though debating its merits before giving up and tossing it aside. Hinata picked up one of the discarded kimonos and ran her hand over the soft red silk. Elaborately embroidered in gold were koi fish and cranes, a pattern that she had not seen in years.

She raised the heavy material to her nose and took a deep breath but only found disappointment. It no longer held the lavender scent that sometimes lingered in her dreams. It had been seventeen years since the last time this silk had ever hung on the body it belonged to. Her mother was long gone and so too was her scent.

"Hanabi." Hinata said flatly, trying not to let her own feelings of loss bubble up to the surface. "What are you doing?"

Hanabi looked up at Hinata with wide eyes from her nest of fabric.

"Finally!" Hanabi said. "Hinata I need you to-"

"No." Hinata cut her off sharply before the girl went off on a tangent. "Explain."

Hanabi bit her bottom lip and Hinata could tell that she was unused to being talked to that way by her. Hinata was always gentle with Hanabi. The young girl was like a storm, impossible to contain or predict. However, seeing the haphazard chaos that lay at their feet made Hinata much less sympathetic to her younger sister at the moment. Hanabi seemed to sense that she had crossed an invisible boundary.

"They want to meet me...tonight." Hanabi started, speaking tentatively as her older sister's hard eyes stared back at her.

"Who is _they_?"

"The Senju elders."

Hinata tried to keep a straight face as Hanabi told her about the invitation extended to her by Konohamaru's family. The boy had actually informed his parents of his intention to date Hanabi and they had gone to the elders to seek their opinion on the matter. The fact that they were willing to meet Hanabi meant that they saw her as an adequate option for their male heir.

While her engagement to Gaara had not been made public, there was plenty of talk that he was looking for a wife at the moment. After her trip to Suna, all bets were on her being the one he would choose. Upon seeing the potential for Hyuuga influence to rise, the Senju must have found that prospect to be enough to meet the girl Konohamaru had taken an interest in. Hinata gently placed her mother's red kimono on Hanabi's bed. As to be expected, her father's plan was working.

"So will you please help me? I know you're busy but I don't know how to do this on my own." Hanabi admitted.

Hinata looked into her sister's hopeful eyes and felt all of her conflicting emotions from earlier ebb away. So what if Sasuke was avoiding her and having secret meetings with her father? Her little sister needed her undivided attention right now and that was exactly what she was going to get. With a small smile, she extended her hand to help Hanabi out of the mess she had created.

"Come on. None of these will fit you. Not yet."

 **…..**

 **Friday, November 27, 2017, 7:00 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

When the grandfather clock alerted them that it was seven o'clock, Hanabi was ready to pass for the elegant young woman her family name inferred her to be. Hinata had found one of her own older kimono's for Hanabi to wear and it fit her perfectly. The solid pale yellow silk complemented Hanabi's skin perfectly and was simple enough to not come off as entitled on her first meeting with such an important family. Hanabi adjusted the powder blue obi around her waist and Hinata smacked her hands away. Although she looked the part it would be a miracle if Hanabi managed to keep her elbows off the table.

"It's too tight." Hanabi pouted and Hinata only smiled.

"It's supposed to be that way. If you wore these more often you'd be used to it by now."

Hanabi only huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Hanabi hardly ever wore the kimonos their father had bought for them when she was younger. When she was in her third year of junior high she had even 'donated' the vast majority of them to some of her classmates. That put an end to their father ever buying them for her again which was what Hanabi had wanted all along. Hinata's smile widened at the memory. It felt like such a long time ago.

With a flourish, she pulled Hanabi's hair back so that it laid evenly down her back. Hanabi and Hinata looked at their reflections in the mirror and smiled at one another just as the doorbell rang. Hanabi sat a little straighter in her seat. Hinata shook her head at the girl's obvious jitters and pinned half of her hair up with two small golden combs. Satisfied with the way Hanabi now looked, she led her sister out of the room and helped her down the stairs. At the foot of the staircase was the young boy who seemed to have somehow garnered Hanabi's elusive affection. Hinata's own heart fluttered as Konohamaru's eyes met Hanabi's and a cheeky smile spread across his face. The young man gave Hinata a short but polite nod of acknowledgment but he couldn't take his eyes off of Hanabi for long.

"Who knew you could actually look like a lady?" Konohamaru grinned when the two sisters stepped down from the last step. Hanabi crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"Shut up. You've seen me in a dress before." She grumbled. Konohamaru was unperturbed by her murderous aura and held his hand out towards her.

"And yet I am surprised every time." He replied, causing Hanabi to blush but she still accepted his hand.

"Dumbass." she mumbled under her breath before turning to Hinata.

"I'll probably be back late, don't wait up!"

Hinata nodded her head and opened the front door for them. Down the dark path of their driveway sat a small limousine, yet another reminder of just who Hanabi had tangled herself up with. As she watched the two walk into the night she leaned against the doorway, admiring the way that their steps matched. Suddenly Hanabi stopped and hiked up her kimono in a very unladylike fashion. She kicked off her zori and turned on her heel to run back up the driveway.

"Hanabi?" Hinata asked in surprise as her sister flung her arms around her waist and held her tightly.

"Thank you, Hinata." She said as she released her older sister from her quick embrace.

The young girl ran back to Konohamaru who had her shoes in his hand and a look of mirth in his eyes. He led her down to the car laying idle for them, not caring at all that her wild sister had rumpled her kimono or was barefoot. He still looked at her like she was perfect.

When their car was out of sight, Hinata closed the door and made her way back up to Hanabi's room. She looked around at the beautiful fabric that lay strewn on the hardwood floor and sighed. Hanabi had no idea what she had done, what she had touched. Their father didn't keep pictures of their mother laying around so Hanabi never got to see the woman wrapped in the fine silks that she had so carelessly thrown on the floor. This was part of their inheritance, meant to be divided evenly between herself and Hanabi when one of them was married. It had been all their mother was able to give to them.

Hinata picked up the red and gold kimono from earlier and closed her eyes. She faintly remembered her mother wrapping her arms around her in this very kimono as they watched the new year's fireworks with her father. The smell of lavender and smoke assaulting her small nose as she covered her ears from the loud booms. The sky was filled with bright reds and yellows creating impossible shapes in the sky with fire. That was one of her most precious memories for it was the night that she had first felt her unborn sister move in her mother's belly.

Slowly, Hinata put her arms through the wide sleeves and shivered at the cool sensation of the heavy material on her skin. It hung loosely on her frame but she knew that when worn properly with all of the additional layers such a traditional garb required, it would fit her perfectly. Curiously, she walked over to Hanabi's vanity mirror and tried to imagine that it was not her own reflection that she saw but her mother staring back at her. She allowed herself to picture dark hair that fell past her waist and long lashes that tickled when she kissed her. For a moment she believed her own hallucination.

She reached out to touch the woman in front of her but was only met with the smooth surface of the glass. From the doorway, she heard a sharp intake of breath. Hinata whipped around quickly to see her father staring at her from the doorway. His face was even paler than normal, making the lines of his face more prominent.

"Hikari." He whispered.

Hinata felt her heart clench at the pain laced in his voice. She hurriedly crossed the room as he looked through her as though he were seeing her for the first time. He stood immobile in the doorway as his eyes analyzed every feature of her face. She had never seen her father so unnerved. She reached out a shaky hand to touch his arm.

"Father?" She asked and he immediately snapped back into his regular self.

He took a step back from her as if her touch burned him but didn't leave. His senses quickly returned to him and his face was soon the impassive mask she was used to. His pale eyes scanned the destruction of Hanabi's room with distaste.

"S-s-sorry father." Hinata stammered, slipping the outer layer of her mother's kimono off her shoulders. "The Senju elders requested Hanabi's presence. S-s-she needed something m-more suitable."

Hisashi didn't reply to her answer. He picked up a vibrant yellow kimono that was closest to the door. His fingers caressed the soft material reverently yet his face still didn't give way to his internal musings. He carefully draped the silk over his arm before picking up another discarded kimono from the floor. Hinata began picking up the other silk garments strewn about Hanabi's room as well. Soon all of the most delicate pieces had been laid on Hanabi's bed, ready to be expertly wash and packed away once more by the skillful hands of the Hyuuga maids.

"You look just like her." Her father said suddenly as he touched the red silk she had previously worn. He picked up the kimono from the bed and held it up to his eldest daughter. "Yes. Exactly like her."

Hinata blushed and turned away from her father. She wasn't used to his attention being on her for such a sustained amount of time. The last time that happened she had learned of her impending marriage agreement.

"Hinata." He said, her name sounding foreign conflicted on his tongue to both of them. "I know about your relationship with the Uchiha boy."

Hinata looked up from the pool of silk on the bed to her father. He stood stoically next to her, his eyes focused on the golden koi of her mother's kimono.

"Father-" she started but whatever defense she would have provided died on her tongue. What could she say? Whatever her father knew she couldn't possibly deny it.

"You are not to have any contact with him from this point on is that understood?" He said firmly and Hinata gaped at him. She'd never spoken out against him before but her protest spilled from her lips before she could stop herself.

"F-father! What? Why?"

"You know why." He snapped, his fingers tightening over the red silk. "You have obligations that you have already been sworn to and yet you're are skirting your responsibilities with an Uchiha. I thought you knew better than to engage in this kind of juvenile behavior."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and tried to stay the tears that threatened to bubble up. She had tried to push her engagement out of her mind. She'd held up hope that at the last minute Gaara or her father would change their mind. However, as months passed she realized that this was a futile fantasy. She couldn't rely on them changing their minds any longer. She had to take matters into her hands. She clutched her mother's dark blue kimono to her chest and squared her shoulders.

"Father, I...I can't marry Gaara." She said as confidently as she could even though internally she was shaking like a leaf.

Going against the Hyuuga patriarch was something that was simply not done. Her father's outraged expression was clear evidence of that. Looking away from his cold eyes she continued.

"I understand what I agreed to before but I can't do it. I am unable to love Gaara. He deserves someone who can."

"And I suppose you have decided that you love the Uchiha boy now is that right?" Hiashi snapped. Hinata stood frozen in place, unused to her father raising his voice to her. "You are further disillusioned than I expected. Sasuke Uchiha is nothing more than a child who cares for nothing else but his own end."

"T-that's not true." Hinata stammered in retaliation but Hiashi ignored her.

"He is a fox in a hen house and it was a mistake for me to ever allow him to share an office with you. If I'd have known that you would have allowed him to take advantage of our family in this way I would have never allowed the Uchihas to cross our threshold." Hiashi spat and tossed his late wife's kimono onto Hanabi's bed in disgust.

Hinata's hands shook as the red silk fell carelessly onto Hanabi's pillows and then slip onto the floor. Her father was wrong. Sasuke cared about her. Although he hadn't verbally expressed it, in her heart she knew that he felt it the same way. He said it in the way his fingertips caressed her skin. His eyes reiterated his affection every time he looked at her. Sasuke was many things to everyone else but he was only one thing to her. _He_ was _her's_.

"You're wrong." Hinata said, her voice low but her words still echoed around her sister's messy room. "He...he does care about me."

"You sound ridiculous. He cares for no one but himself and what he can gain. He is arrogant, selfish, and egotistical-"

"He's YOU!" Hinata snapped, unable to take her father's verbal dismissal of Sasuke. " _You_ are arrogant. _You_ are selfish. _You_ are egotistical. But there is a difference. He does love me unlike you. He's not using me, you are! He...he cares my opinion and he thinks I can do more than I ever expected myself to. He is more talented than anyone else with his age or status. He is everything you wanted me to be and yet you abhor him for it!"

Her chest rose and fell as he tried to catch her breath. That was the most she'd said to her father in...well...ever. She had never spoken her heart. She had never been selfish. Those were things a Hyuuga was not allowed to do. Catching her breath she took a step towards her father who was staring at her as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"Father." She said softly. "I'm in love with Sasuke. He loves me, I know it. Please call off the contract. I can no longer uphold my end in good faith."

Hiashi's eyes tore away from her quickly, searching the room to settle on anything that wasn't her. Her heart sank in her chest.

"You are relieved of all your duties with the company until Hanabi's ceremony. At that point, you will formally abdicate your position as detailed in the contract. You are not to contact the Uchiha in any way, business or otherwise. Do not leave the confines of the compound."

Hinata stared at him, her mouth hanging open in shock. He was grounding her as if she were a child caught sneaking out to a party.

"Father!" She said. "This is entirely unnecessary!"

"It is necessary when you have proven that you are unable to think of the ramifications your selfish actions will have on the clan. You are incapable of making rational decisions. You have lost your sense of duty to your clan over a _boy_ Hinata."

Hiashi turned away from her, her protest falling on deaf ears. He stepped over the countless silks still strewn over the floor until he reached the door. His hand rested on the doorknob for a moment, his back tense.

"I am disappointed in you."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	26. I Hate You

**CCNote: This story is almost over! That was fast huh? There are only four or five more chapters left before Sleeping with the Enemy is complete. Thanks for sticking it out with me guys. Post revisions tons of folks dropped off but for those of you who consistently read, review, and give me your thoughts, know that it is greatly appreciated!**

 ** _To reviewers with burning questions:_ I wish you guys weren't so damn perceptive lol! I wanna answer all of your questions but that would give away the story. Just know that whatever you're currently thinking is going to happen is probably wrong. Or maybe you're right. I don't know, I'm not saying either way. But just like everyone thought Sasuke was gonna fuck Sakura 10plus chapters ago, you're probably wrong about this too. Or maybe you're right and I'm trying to throw you off.**

 ** _To ladykatsuyu:_ Yea Konohamaru is a Sarutobi. When I first started writing I couldn't remember for the life of me what his freaking last name was and kept forgetting to look it up. When I was creating my storyboard (very drunk mind you) I was watching short Naruto clips on Youtube to get a feel for the characters again. The name Senju popped out and drunk me said "Oh that sounds cool and important!" and the last name stuck. After that sober me is a lazy bitch and has not had the time to go through the story and change all mentions of Senju to Sarutobi. We are 26 chapters in so I'll go back and make those changes after the story is finished. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for pointing it out!**

 **Alright so! Happy 'Respect for the Aged' Day tomorrow, a made-up government holiday that lets me stay home from work yay! Please ignore all typos, I've given up on finding a beta lol. Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a review!**

 **I Hate You**

 **Saturday November 28 2017 4:02am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

 _'I am disappointed in you.'_

Unlike the ceiling of the Uchiha Residence, lights and shadows did not dance across the ceiling of her room in the compound. The hustle and bustle of the city were a long way off from the property leaving its occupants to reside in their own self-sustained world. At times it was a welcome respite at others it was nothing less than suffocating. Hinata rolled over onto her side, hugging her pillow close.

 _I am disappointed._

Her father's words rang loudly in her ears as she stared at the dark expansive ceiling above her. She had always known that she was not up to par. She did not possess Neji's ruthlessness or Hanabi's drive. No matter what she did there was always a flaw. She'd done her best growing up to feel as though she were worthy of her birthright, to prove to her father and elders that _she_ was capable of being the next head. All she'd ever wanted to do was prove herself. In the last few months, she thought that she had been doing a decent job at it.

 _Disappointed..._

Unfortunately, all her effort had amounted to was to be used as a political tool. Her usefulness ascended only to that of marriage and nothing more. In the end, she couldn't even do _that_ right. Perhaps that was evidence enough that she was never meant to lead their clan. She was unable to make the necessary sacrifices that all of the leaders before her had to make. She couldn't follow through with her promise. She was weak and therefore a disappointment.

 _In you..._

She had always felt like an imposter and her father's words confirmed it. That off-putting look in his eyes when she brought home her ranking in class and it was not at the top. How he had patted Neji's back when he made his valedictorian speech at his graduation from university yet gave no such affection to herself when she graduated. She had not made it as high as Neji had so why had she expected that kind of acknowledgment anyway? When Hanabi consistently brought home award after award despite her constant delinquency she was not met with an admonishment to get in line but with pride. Hinata, on the other hand, had always kept her nose in her books and later on in her work. Never had she stepped out of line. Not once had she directly undermined her father's authority. Yet, here she was. Nothing more than a disappointment...

"Hinata!" A not so quiet whisper called into the dark room. Light from the hallway spilled through the cracked door and illuminated her little sister's silhouette. "Are you awake?"

Hinata glanced at her phone and frowned. What was Hanabi doing getting in _this_ late? Or should she say early? The girl should have arrived back home hours ago. Hanabi padded barefoot across the room, her approach accented by her heavy and unladylike footsteps. It was almost as if Hanabi stepped with more force than she realized she possessed. The younger Hyuuga slipped onto the bed and laid down. Two sets of pale eyes stared back at each other, one full of excitement and the other struggling to keep their internal conflict under control.

"Hanabi." Hinata whispered wearily. "How...how did it go?"

"It went great!" She replied and immediately launched into a detail rendition of the rarely seen, ancient Senju Estate and its residents.

The dinner had gone well, as Hinata had expected it would. Hanabi could eat with her toes and people would still find her to be endearing. Apparently, the Senju elders had found her to be suitable enough to invite their annual winter sailing event the following Saturday. All of the Senju and their associates would be there, it was sure to be quite the spectacle. Hanabi was so giddy that Hinata couldn't help but smile despite her own morose attitude. _This_ was what she was supposed to sacrifice her own happiness for. For Hanabi to be happy. For Hanabi to be with someone that not only cherished and loved her but would bring even greater power to their family name. Hinata scanned over her younger sister's rumpled kimono, messy hair, and bright eyes. Was it worth it? Was it worth giving up everything she'd found that she'd wanted in favor of her sister? When Hanabi smiled and recounted the many rooms she had explored with Konohamaru, the only answer Hinata was able to come up with was a resounding 'yes'. She might not be able to do it for her clan but...perhaps, if she tried hard enough, she could do it for her sister. For that rare bright smile she now possessed to always remain there.

Hanabi wiggled closer to her, searching for warmth in her sister's spacious bed. Hinata wrapped her arms around her to pull her close to her heart. She hadn't held Hanabi like this since she was a little girl too afraid of the dark to sleep on her own. Could she marry Gaara? She could be a dutiful matriarch for the Sabaku, a partner that was seen but scarcely heard from. Her stomach twisted at the thought. The idea of bearing Gaara's children and smiling like she was happy was enough to make bile rise in her throat. In the next moment, she found her head in the toilet and Hanabi's hand holding her hair back as the early morning light seeped through her windows.

 **…..**

 **Thursday, December 2, 2017, 2:37 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke frowned as he hung up on his last conference call of the day, not because he was dissatisfied. Not because he'd had to make concessions or conceded. No. It was because the desk across from his remained empty. Hinata Hyuuga had not shown up to work in almost a week. At first, her absence had largely gone unnoticed by anyone but himself but now even their subordinates were starting to whisper. They talked of her being seen as unfit and removed from her position. Others told of her being removed to make way for the second Hyuuga daughter who it was rumored was a much better fit despite her age. More than a few Hyuuga employees shot him suspicious looks as though he were the one to blame for their mistress's absence. He raised his coffee mug to his lips and paused. The lavender mug clutched between his fingers just wasn't the same. Without Hinata there to tease it was just another cup.

'Hinata.' He thought as he stared at her empty desk.

All of his texts came back unreceived and his calls were blocked. If he didn't know any better it looked as if Hinata wanted nothing more to do with him. Frustratedly, he leaned back onto the couch until he was lying prone against the cushions, Hinata's marriage contract in hand. He'd been trying to find a loophole, a small clause just ripe for exploit to release Hinata from her bond to Gaara. Unfortunately, he'd found none. She was the perfect candidate for Gaara which is why he'd chosen her in the first place. It didn't help that the first time they'd met in a more personal setting Hinata had defended the Uchiha against his shareholders and shown an inner fire to intrigue any red-blooded man. Sasuke rested his forearm over his tired eyes and released a slow, steady breath. No matter how airtight this contract was there had to be a way to break it. His body relaxed against the sofa, his breathing becoming slower and slower.

'Sasuke, I love you.'

Women had professed their love for him many times over the course of his life but none so simply, so genuinely as she had. He wanted to hear her say it over and over again. He would never grow tired of hearing her affection spill from her lips. How was that even possible? In his adult life, he had never been one to need the affirmation of others but he craved hers. There was no rational explanation for the change except for the possibility that he loved her too. Soon his fatigue won out and he fell into a fitful state of unconsciousness.

 **…..**

 **Thursday, December 3, 2017, 3:00 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

"I haven't seen the Hyuuga Princess around in a while." A nasal voice observed as she reapplied her lipstick in the bathroom mirror. Sakura rolled her eyes and noted that the shade did nothing for the woman's complexion. Amateur. Mina never seemed to catch on that red just _wasn't_ her color.

"Don't you mean the Hyuuga Whore?" The woman to her left sneered, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You're just mad because she put you in your place, Kora." Sakura sniffed, keeping a steady hand on her mascara wand as she applied the black liquid to her eyelashes. The woman scoffed at her assumption.

"As if. I'm over that." Kora waved. "Haven't you heard the news?"

"What news?" Sakura asked lamely, feigning disinterest.

The two women on either side of her gave each other knowing looks before going back to their primping. Mina fluffed her hair and gave Sakura a pitying look in the mirror.

"I can't believe you don't know." She pouted while Kora giggled.

"You would think that you'd be the first to know after all. To think that it's been happening right under your nose."

"So sad."

Sakura zipped up her makeup bag and glared at the two. Whatever game they were playing at she wanted none of it. Kora placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her from leaving.

"Testy today huh?" She said with a sly smile. "Well the whore isn't here so maybe you'll stand a better chance now."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sakura hissed and jerked away from the woman's hand. "Hinata is not a whore. Last time I checked she was your boss and I don't think she'd take kindly to you making false accusations on her character."

Mina and Kora laughed at her statement leaving her even more perplexed than before.

"Keep thinking that Haruno." Mina said with a shake of her head as Sakura stormed out of the bathroom.

'Stupid vultures.' Sakura sneered mentally as she made her way back to the office.

They had been getting really bold lately with Hinata's sudden disappearance but hopefully, they would settle down soon. If not she would be forced to mention something to Sasuke and that would not be a pretty sight. Heads would roll if he heard how they were speaking about the Hyuuga. That realization made her stop in her tracks. Sasuke was one of the most detached people she had ever come across. he only let a few people into his inner circle and even those individuals had no idea what he truly thought. After working under him for three long years she liked to think that she had earned a place among the few people he trusted.

However, within just a few weeks Hinata had managed to also gain a seat at that exclusive table. She'd tried her best not to notice the looks they shared or the subtle brushing of their hands when they stood next to each other in public. They were partners working in close proximity, it was only natural that they became close. If she were being honest their interactions did make her a bit jealous if only for the fact that Hinata seemed oblivious. The Hyuuga had no idea how many times a day Sasuke would look up from his work to stare at her while she worked at her desk. She had no idea how he used to ask for Sakura to reschedule his meetings so that his day would line up with hers. That rescheduling had been impossible in recent weeks but when she had been able to work her magic, the constant requests had made the pink haired woman want to tear her hair out.

Shaking her head, she continued onwards to the office. Even if Sasuke had some interest in his partner she had never seen him act on it. More than likely it was only a passing fancy and besides, Hinata was with Gaara. She'd seen the ruby necklace tucked inside of the woman's desk drawer when she'd been searching for an extra pad of post its. No one in their right mind would be able to deny a man that showered them with gifts like that! Satisfied with her new sense of security, she opened the office door to find her boss stretched out on the low sofa in the center of the room. One of his arms was draped across his eyes while the other dangled over the side. Sakura felt her heart skip a beat at the rare sight of him so exposed.

Carefully, she stepped closer to his side. Was it possible for anyone to look as perfect as he did? Seeing him lying there made her feel giddy, one could even say bold. She knelt down beside him, brushing a few dark strands of hair off of his face. A shiver ran down her spine as she noted just how smooth his skin was, it was even better than she had imagined. Curiously, she caressed his cheek wondering all the while what it would feel like to press her lips against it. She'd wondered what that felt like since the day she had been hired by HR and sent to his office. Every woman that worked for the Uchiha had had a similar thought cross their mind from time to time about both of the brothers. She, however, had only possessed eyes for Sasuke.

Keeping her feelings under wraps for three years had definitely been a test of her willpower but it was worth it. She was able to stay by his side every day, to watch him grow and succeed within the company. Sakura smiled to herself as she retracted her hand. After three years she had grown as well, maybe he would finally start seeing her in a new light as well. His rejection at the club had stung, she'd even gone home early to drown her depression in ice cream but it was no big deal. Sasuke was not the kind of man to give in easily. He just needed to be coaxed into seeing her as more than his secretary. The man in question stirred a bit in his sleep before settling back down.

'How cute!' Sakura squealed internally.

She could be patient and wait for him to come around. Eventually, he had to take an interest in someone, why couldn't it be her? In the meantime, she would bide her time and be of use to him for as long as he needed. His lips parted slightly, letting out a deep breath and illuminating further just how perfect he was. His lips looked so soft. Biting her lower lip she debated whether he would wake up or not. He had so much going on lately it was no small mystery as to why he was so tired. She leaned in close, her nose brushing ever so lightly against his.

'Only this once.' She thought guilty to herself, her heart beating like a war drum in her ears.

Only this one time would she indulge herself. He would fall for her eventually so it was okay right? He just looked so _perfect._ She lowered herself even further, her lips almost brushing against his when he opened his mouth. His voice was barely above a whisper but she caught every syllable.

"Hinata."

 **…..**

 **Saturday December 5 2017 3:15pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"You should eat more Ms. Hinata." The elderly Hyuuga maid chided as her mistress stirred her spoon around her chicken soup.

"I'm sorry." Hinata mumbled.

The maid waited patiently until she raised the spoon to her lips before taking her leave of the kitchen. When the sound of her footsteps were far enough away, Hinata quickly dumped the contents of her bowl into the sink. She hated to waste food but she didn't want the woman to see that she wasn't eating. She didn't want to be a disappointment to someone else. When the last of the broth was down the drain she retook her seat at the island and rested her head forehead against the cold marble. She felt absolutely pathetic. She knew that she should return to her bedroom but she couldn't manage the effort to make it up the stairs.

When her father had taken away her responsibilities to her clan she was left without a purpose. It was if someone had clipped her wings, leaving her rot inside of a gilded cage. Everything she'd worked for, so many sleepless nights for nothing. This day was to come when her engagement to Gaara was to be announced but it hurt even more than she had imagined. A wave of nausea ran through her and she clutched the edge of her tshirt, breathing deeply through her nose until it passed. She was useless to her clan. Useless to her father. Useless to...Sasuke.

The thought of his name made her eyes sting with unshed tears. What was he doing right now? Did he know why she was missing, why she hadn't been in contact? Did he miss her? She could only imagine how much slack he now had to pick up in her absence, guilt racked at her heart. She enjoyed her job and now she looked as if she had just abandoned it. The nausea finally passed and she allowed herself a sigh of relief. Maybe now she might be able to conquer the stairs.

"You can't be in here!" The elderly maid cried out from the foyer.

Hinata picked herself up from the counterstop and slipped off of the barstool. The sound of tussling increased as she walked out of the kitchen. There she had a clear shot of the commotion going on. In the door was a blonde woman dressed in all black, how she got the shades of black to coordinate so perfectly Hinata would never know. The maid was trying to push the woman out the door but the blonde was having none of it.

"I'm a friend of Hinata's-" Ino grumbled obstinately but the maid was having none of it.

"I don't care who you are missy! You can't be here!"

"Ino." Hinata called out, the sound of her mistress's voice distracted the maid long enough that Ino was able to skirt around the old woman and scurry into the relative safety of the kitchen.

"Ms. Hyuuga, she can't be here." The maid said sternly with her hands on her hips.

"It's okay she will be leaving soon." Hinata soothed but the maid remained unconvinced. "I'll eat everything on my plate for dinner. I promise."

The maid let out a short breath through her nose but the promise of Hinata actually eating something seemed to lessen her irritation. She narrowed her pale eyes at Hinata and waggled a finger at her.

"Have her gone before your father gets home. I never saw her."

Hinata smiled as the woman turned on her heels and went on to busy herself elsewhere in the house. Ino slumped down onto the bar stool and removed her black skull cap and shades.

"What are you a prisoner or something?" She remarked and Hinata gave her a small smile.

'Something like that.' The Hyuuga thought but kept the statement to herself.

"What brings you here Ino?" Hinata asked, opening the fridge and pulling out a water bottle.

The blonde accepted the water gratefully and nearly drank down half of it the second it hit her lips.

"You haven't been answering any of our messages." Ino explained. "Everyone's really worried."

Hinata looked down at the marble countertop guiltily. She hated worrying her friends.

"Sasuke's even called me a few times to see if I've been able to get through to you. How he got my number I'll never know."

Hinata's eyes widened at the mention of Sasuke's name. Since when did he and Ino know each other, let alone know each other well enough for him to feel comfortable calling her. Ino noticed her surprised look and set her waterbottle down on the countertop.

"Sasuke is actually why I'm here." She said solemnly. "Well partially. He and Naruto are friends right?"

"Yes." Hinata confirmed, not sure where this conversation was going.

"Were you and Naruto...a...um...a thing?" The blonde asked hesitantly.

Hinata blushed and nodded her head. Her confirmation made Ino's shoulders slump.

"I...I had hoped that I was only overreacting from stress but I was right. I hate being right."

"Ino, whats going on?"

The blonde sighed and looked across the island at her, her blue eyes strikingly sad. Instantly Hinata saw her own insecurities reflect back to her and she walked around the island to wrap an arm around Ino.

"Ino, Naruto and I broke up almost over a year ago. There is nothing going on between us."

"Then why is your picture still in his phone?" Ino sniffed, her voice on the verge of tears.

Hinata blinked and tapped her index finger against her chin.

"Probably because he never deletes anything. He's a bit of a hoarder." The Hyuuga said and Ino let out a small, weak laugh.

"So now you just so happen to be dating his friend?"

"That's...complicated."

"Isn't everything?"

Silence fell over the kitchen as both women were left alone to their own thoughts. Everything was indeed too complicated. Ino fished around in her purse and pulled out her cellphone. She swiped a few times before she handed the phone to Hinata. The Hyuuga looked at Ino curiously before scrolling through the text messages she'd pulled up. There were tons of texts from Naruto apologizing as if he'd murdered someone. Hinata's mouth fell open as she looked back up to a blushing Ino who was biting her lower lip.

"I don't know how to respond." She said sheepishly as Hinata placed the phone on the counter.

"Well, you have to say something!"

"I know I know! I feel terrible but at the same time I don't think I'm ready for being the girlfriend of someone who is always in the limelight!"

Hinata frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Do you like him?" She asked sternly and Ino nodded her head.

"Yes but it's not enough to like him. Everyone on the news is going crazy over how I'm no good for him. I'm just a nobody. My family isn't rich. I wasn't even able to finish university before I had to quit and help out at the shop. I have nothing of value-"

"Naruto doesn't care about that."

"I know and that's the problem!"

The maid reentered the kitchen, rapping her fist sharply against the door causing the two women to break from their conversation.

"Neji will be returning home early. Your friend, who I've never seen, should be leaving Ms. Hinata."

 **...**

 **Saturday, December 5, 2017, 4:56 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Oh, Neji!" Hinata cried out as she rushed from the front door to the kitchen.

He followed behind her, amused at her sudden burst of energy after a week of lethargy. She flung open the freezer and grabbed the first bag of frozen vegetables she could get her hands on. She then directed him over to the dining room table and forced him to sit down with a strength that was surprising for her diminished state.

"It's not a big deal Hinata." Neji sighed but then hissed as she pressed the frozen bag of produce against his left eye.

She placed a hand on his cheek to keep him from moving away. His good pale eye glared at her insistence but she ignored him. She took his left hand and placed it on the bag to keep it in place before searching through the kitchen cabinets for their first aid kit. When she'd found it she scurried back to the dining room and pulled up a chair in front of him. She fished out a bottle of antiseptic and doused a few cotton balls in the clear liquid. Neji removed the bag of produce from his left eye which was now swollen shut and begrudgingly allowed her to apply the burning substance to his cuts on his cheek and forehead.

"How did this happen?" Hinata asked worriedly. Neji had left the compound that morning in perfect shape, there was no reason that he be in this rough state. He sucked in a sharp breath as she pressed down a bit too hard and moved his face away. "Neji please tell me!"

Hinata wasn't quite sure what to make of her cousin's current state. His face was always pristine. Seeing it marred in this way was more than unsettling. She put the cotton ball to the side and unscrewed some ointment to aid in reducing the swelling of his eye.

"Hinata, I'm fine." Neji said simply and grabbed her wrist before she could come any closer to his face. "I'm more worried about you."

"M-me?" She stammered and he nodded his head.

"The other branch members tell me you haven't been eating all week and I can see you're not getting enough sleep."

Hinata bit her bottom lip as he let her wrist go and allowed her to continue her meager attempt to clean his wounds. She hadn't been able to keep much down all week. It wasn't for a small lack of trying. She really wasn't hungry but sometimes a random craving hit and she would actually allow herself to eat. Unfortunately whatever she ate was nearly always immediately regurgitated. It made her lethargic and weak but she'd been unable to sleep.

"You haven't shown up to work all week." Neji continued.

His words her hurt deeply, reopening the wound that had not yet healed. Even if she wanted to go to work she couldn't. Her cell phone had been confiscated and with it all of her contacts. The first morning she'd tried to leave, the driver wouldn't take her and she'd no way to call a cab. Her laptop had also been taken from her room leaving her with no contact with the outside world. Her father trusted her so little to not contact Sasuke that he'd removed any means of her doing so. Sighing she finished dabbing the cool ointment on Neji's eye before pressing the frozen bag against his face again.

"I...I'm fine Neji." She said softly but he didn't seem to buy it. "What is going on with you? How did you get hurt like this?"

Neji bristled at her lack of answers and took the bag from her to press it against his eye on his own.

"Lee." He said simply and her eyes widened.

Lee was Neji's old teammate. He would never hurt him in such a way! Neji patted her hand comfortingly and let out a sigh.

"You saw how I ruined Tenten's meeting with the new fighting instructor right?" He said and Hinata nodded her head solemnly. How could she ever forget? "Well, I agreed to be the new instructor in his place. Lee decided to 'teach me a lesson' for leaving and putting them in a bind in the first place."

"Did he have to be so rough?" Hinata squeaked. Neji in any kind of pain made her uneasy. The Hyuuga smiled and rubbed a thumb over her furrowed brow just as the front door slammed open.

"Hinata!" A panicked voice yelled causing both Neji and Hinata to look up.

"In the kitchen!" Neji yelled back.

Hanabi stormed into the room, her winter coat rumpled and her hair escaping her ponytail. She marched right up to the pair and threw her phone down on the table. The elder Hyuugas looked at it curiously but didn't give it much attention.

"What's wrong Hana?" Hinata asked gently to her clearly irate sister.

"I don't know, you tell me for once!" She yelled back. Hinata stared back at her dumbstruck while Neji rose from his chair.

"Hanabi, watch your tone." He reprimanded but Hanabi ignored him.

"Everything is a lie isn't it?" She laughed. "They don't like me for me. It's because of you, isn't it? It's always because of you."

"Hanabi what are you-"

"Don't act innocent! I know! I fucking know!"

Hanabi shrugged off her coat and threw it onto the dining room table with her phone. Neji and Hinata cast a worrying look to each other, they'd never seen Hanabi so unnerved before.

"Does he even like me for real or is that because of you too?" Hanabi accused with her hands on her hips.

"Konohamaru?" Hinata asked and Hanabi sucked in her teeth.

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"Hanabi you're going to have to be more clear if you want anyone to understand what you're getting at." Neji chided, lowering the frozen bag from his eye.

"Do I have to spell it out? Do you two keep so many secrets from me that you can't keep them all straight? Is that it? Fucking liars."

"Hanabi-" Hinata started, reaching out a hand to touch her sister's shoulder but the girl flinched away.

"Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me!"

"Hana-"

"No! I know what you did! You've sold yourself out to buy me a place in _their_ eyes. They would have never looked at me twice if it hadn't been for you!" Hanabi shouted, her eyes boring accusatory holes into her elder sister.

Hinata retracted her hand slowly. She hadn't wished for Hanabi to find out like this. If anything she would had preferred that Hanabi were to never discover their father's machinations.

"How did you find out?" Hinata asked hesitantly and Hanabi scoffed.

"The ladies of a 'higher caliber' than me let me know very well what was going on. I am only a second daughter, there is no way the heir of Senju would be allowed to keep company with someone who can offer him so little."

"The marriage contract." Neji mumbled under his breath, sinking back into his seat. Hanabi's lips curled over her teeth and she glared furiously at both of them.

"You two both know about this. You manipulated my life to put it down a path that _you_ thought was most suitable. You don't care about my feelings at all!"

"That's not true Hanabi!" Hinata protested weakly, a bout of sudden nausea limiting her strength. "We just wish for you to be happy!"

"Happy?" Hanabi repeated skeptically. "Happy? I don't even know what that is. I don't know what anything truly is because it's always been force fed to me. _You_ don't even know what happiness is!"

Hinata reached out once more to still the shaking of her sister's shoulders but the gesture was only smacked away.

"I hate you! I hate you so much!"

"Ha-ha-Hanabi..." she stammered, her breath catching in her throat at her sister's declaration. The girl looked at her with cold, tear-filled eyes and fists clenched at her side.

"I don't _want_ to be heiress. I have never wanted that. I do not _want_ to be used in whatever political game you guys are trying to play. If you go through with this you are officially ruining my life. I will _never_ forgive you for this."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	27. Unexpected Occurances

**CCNote: Wow! 900 reviews! I'm so happy to have made it to this point! If we get to 1K before this story is complete I'd probably scream lol. But forreal, thank you for your continued support of this story. Your reviews make me so happy and keep me writing**

 ** _To reviewers that are concerned with Hanabi's behavior:_ Hanabi is being a little shit chip but keep in mind she is a teen and there is a reason she's lashing out. There was a trigger. Not only that she's a privileged girl that's been essentially coddled her entire life and is at that age now where she is trying to tell left from right, up from down. What the hell does she actually want out of her life? Many kids go through a rebellion at her age and there's a scientific reason as to why teens are so prone to doing stupid things. Hint! Their frontal lobe hasn't fully connected to the rest of the brain and that's where all of your decision making is located. It's why my students think pantsing each other in the hallway is a good idea and sitting next to girls is a death sentence and English can be learned through osmosis. Teens are dumb at times, I know I was(cringe). They do and say stupid things to the ones that love them the most. It doesn't excuse their shitty behavior though. They're still shit chips. Everyone reading this either had a shit chip moment or is currently going through that phase. It's natural.**

 **I don't have much else to say for this note. Don't forget to review! Enjoy!**

 **Unexpected Occurrences**

 **Saturday, December 5, 2017, 5:45 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Get back down here and apologize Hanabi!" Neji shouted after the teen as she flew up the staircase. Her answer to his demand was a deafening slam of her bedroom door.

Neji rolled up his sleeves and moved to follow her but Hinata held his wrist. He looked down at her, positively livid that she was willing to let Hanabi get away with saying something so hurtful.

"She doesn't mean it." Hinata said softly, a quivering smile on her lips.

"Hinata-" he started but she shook her head.

"We...we all say things we don't mean." She reminded him gently. "Even you hated me once."

"That was different."

"No...it wasn't."

Neji's eyes softened as he remembered just how much he'd tormented her after the death of his parents. All of his pain and anguish had been directed at her even though she had nothing to do with it. She could see the regret in his eyes from how hurtful he'd been and she hoped he knew that she didn't hold it against him. He was family and she'd stick by him regardless of if he hated her or not. Just like she'd stick by Hanabi no matter what she said in a moment of anger. Neji placed a hand on the back of her head and pulled her close to his chest. His arms wrapped around her and slowly her arms snaked around his waist.

"I'm sorry." He said and Hinata nodded as best as she could in his embrace.

She didn't even realize she was crying until the front of Neji's shirt was dampened by her tears. Once the tears had started they refused to stop, it was as if a dam had finally been broken inside of her. All of the emotions she'd been bottling up had finally burst through her mask. Neji didn't ask any questions, nor did he try to formulate words that might make her feel better. Instead, he just let her cry silently into his chest until her shoulders stopped shaking and her eyes dried up.

Her eyes burned with the amount of tears she'd shed but somehow she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The cloud of depression that she had been under all week started to clear up if only just a bit. Who would have guessed that she'd only needed a hug? She sniffed and gave him one last comforting squeeze as the front doorbell rang. The cousins broke apart from each other and shared a perplexed look. They hadn't expected to have company tonight. The doorbell continued to ring frantically until Neji was able to open the door. There stood an ashen-faced Konohamaru Senju with his finger poised to continue to press the doorbell. Hinata peeked around Neji's side, utterly confused as to why the boy would show up on their doorstep unannounced.

"Is Hanabi here?" He asked breathlessly. "Please tell me she's here!"

"Where else would she be?" Neji asked coldly, all of the warmth he'd possessed only a few moments ago had frozen over. All that was left in its place was a protectiveness over his cousins that didn't care what status someone had over him. The teen looked taken aback for a moment as if he Neji's words had led him to think Hanabi might be anywhere else but at home.

"If she is here I have to speak with her. It's important." He said but Neji only shook his head.

"I believe you and your family have caused enough drama for one night. We do not need to invite more into our home." Neji stated and moved to close the door in his face.

"Give me a second to I just have to explain-"

"We will inform Hanabi of your visit."

"Wait-"

"Neji." Hinata interrupted just as the door had almost shut. Her cousin looked down at her with his one good eye and sighed. He reopened the door wide enough to step outside and placed a heavy hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.

"Talk fast." He said through clenched teeth, leading the teen away from the main house and towards the carefully cultivated grounds of the compound.

When the front door closed again Hinata turned her gaze upward towards Hanabi's room. The faint sound of heavy metal music emitted from that direction causing Hinata to sigh. No matter how much she might want to investigate the situation further, her sister wouldn't be willing to talk right now and Hanabi was not one to be forced into doing so. In any case, the day had been too much activity for her and she was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded. Carefully, only one step at a time, she made her way up the winding staircase to her own room.

 **…..**

 **Monday, December 21, 2017, 2:15 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"C'mon Hina. It's easy." Ino groaned from the inside of her empty porcelain bathtub.

Hinata weakly glared at the blonde from her bathroom mirror. Ino had somehow managed to win over the elderly maid that watched over her during the day to allow her limited entry into the main house. Being that Ino's face had been plastered all over the news as of late it wasn't that hard to convince the woman that she possessed clout. It was only for a couple of hours at a time and she had to fork over her phone before she ever crossed the threshold but Hinata was grateful for her company. She was the only one who was able to get the Hyuuga to eat anything. Slowly her strength was starting to return to her as her nausea ebbed away day by day. With her strength's return so too came a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something wasn't quite right with her.

Even though she hadn't been eating properly she was starting to put on a bit of weight. Her breasts were tender, she wanted to sleep all the time, and she couldn't do much physical activity around the house without having to take a break. At first, she thought her recently irregular period was finally making an appearance after a stressful few weeks but when it didn't show, she began to worry. She crossed checked her calendars with her previous cycles and kicked herself for not realizing sooner that something was off. Dread had filled her immediately after her epiphany to search for her birth control pills which she quickly found tucked away in her suitcase from Suna. Therein laid a fresh prescription untouched. In her medicine cabinet, she found her older set with pills still remaining from when she'd forgotten to take them as she was supposed to.

Now here she stood, barefoot in her bathroom with one of her best friends in her tub trying to decipher the instructions of an at-home pregnancy test. It seemed rather simple. All she had to do was pee on a stick but the ramifications of what the outcome might be scared her half to death. How could she have been so negligent? Ino shifted in the tub so that her curious blue eyes peeked over the tall rim.

"It _is_ Sasuke's right?" Ino asked, and while Hinata wanted to chuck the box at her head it was a fair question after she'd divulged her arranged marriage to Gaara. Explaining the entire situation from start to finish was the only way to keep her from immediately bringing the Uchiha to her doorstep. Since Ino now had her own secrets to keep for once, she kept her mouth shut.

"There is no _it_." The Hyuuga replied although she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

"Then take the test and be done with it." Ino sighed as she stepped out of the tub. "Here, I'll take one if that makes you feel more comfortable."

Surprisingly the proposition did. The box came with two tests and so it wouldn't hurt if Ino used one of them. Hinata nodded her head meekly and placed one of the sticks from the box on the sink counter. She then left the bathroom and made her way downstairs to prepare the dining room table for Ino's etiquette lesson. Manners wasn't something Ino lacked but she had no idea how to act when dealing with the upper class. If she thought the news commentators were bad, the old diplomatic women sitting across the table, drowning in their best pearls, were undoubtedly worse.

On her way to the stairs, which were their own source of personal stress, she knocked on Hanabi's door. The girl had been holding herself up since her school let out for winter break, only coming out when her presence was requested by their father. The muffled thump of a pillow being thrown at the door let her know that her sister was at least still breathing inside but had no desire to break her silence. With a sad shake of her head, she descended to the kitchen.

Getting out all of the various dishes and forks was enough to tire herself out quicker than she would have thought possible. She took a seat at the table and laid her head against the light wood. Underneath the table she pressed both hands against her stomach wondering if the there was an 'it' what would she do. Her father certainly wouldn't let her keep it. Her giving birth to a child that was not her intended's was out of the question in her father's eyes. Suddenly fear gripped her as she wrapped her arms around herself. She wouldn't let that happen. If she was, in fact, carrying a life that she and Sasuke had created she would stop at nothing to protect it.

Fifteen minutes later she had nearly fallen asleep at the dining room table when Ino bounded down the stairs. Her usually bright face was devoid of all color, immediately making Hinata alert once more. She sat upright in her chair just as Ino entered the kitchen.

"Ino,"Hinata started hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

At first, the blonde nodded but then she shook her head. She awkwardly clutched her right arm with her left hand and shift her weight from one foot to the other. If Hinata didn't know any better she appeared as if she were on the verge of tears.

"Any chance I could use that second test?"

 **….**

 **Wednesday, December 22, 2017, 5:00 pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

 **...**

"Can I get some crème over here?" A portly man yelled across the busy restaurant at what appeared to be the only waitress doing any work.

Sasuke watched as Tenten hurried behind the bar and quickly poured a small canister of crème for the impatient man. The canister had barely touched the table's surface before the brunette's attention was being called by a mother with a screaming toddler who'd made a complete mess on the café table. It was morning rush hour in the coffee shop yet Tenten was the only one keeping the place afloat. The other three baristas, none much older than sixteen or seventeen, stood around aimlessly talking to each other. They barely prepared drinks when they were ordered, preferring to ask Tenten to prepare the drinks since they couldn't remember how the machines worked.

"I need extra napkins!" A woman at the table to the Uchiha's right shouted. Her lip curled as she returned to her conversation with her friend. "Service here is so slow god!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the lady's impatience and took a sip of his coffee that had been made by one of the young baristas. Of course, they had remembered how to work the machine when he ordered. Unfortunately whatever they had poured into the cup certainly wasn't any good. The weak substance in his cup could barely be called coffee.

He frowned and set his mug back down before taking out his cellphone. He was _supposed_ to be meeting with Hanabi for their usual sparring match and after the last two weeks, he needed something to get out his pent-up aggression. He'd also hoped to question her about her sister's whereabouts but she had skipped out on their previous meeting as well. Part of him had been hopeful that the brat would show up that morning but that hope was rapidly evaporating. He'd attempted to call her but his number was blocked and it was the same result when he reached out to Neji. Frowning, he placed the last note in his composition notebook. Hopefully when he played it later on it would finally sound right.

"Hey!" Tenten said breathlessly as she approached his table.

He grunted his usual greeting as he watched the woman fish around in the front pockets of her apron. She retrieved what she was looking for and handed him a stiff looking envelope packed to near capacity. Sasuke briefly noticed that the woman's hands were slightly marred by burn marks and band-aids, no doubt the result of working alongside her careless coworkers. He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing as she slid the envelope across the table.

"Neji wanted me to give this to you whenever you came by again." She said, a girlish smile playing at her lips as she said Neji's name. "Have you figured out what you're going to get Hinata yet?"

"Tenten get back here! I don't pay you to sit around and talk to your boyfriends!" Her boss shouted from behind the counter. "Drinks orders are backed up!"

Sasuke and Tenten both turned their gazes to the bar where all three teenage baristas were texting on their phones. Tenten's fingers curled into fists in an effort to control her temper. She turned back to Sasuke with a tense smile on her face.

"She likes sweets and flowers. Simple is always best with Hina." Tenten informed him. Inwardly Sasuke smirked. He already knew that. "Don't spend too much money either, it'll make her uncomfortable."

"Tenten get over here now!" Her boss yelled over impatient customers shouting their orders at the counter but the brunette continued to ignore him.

"Hn." He grunted as he reached for the envelope on the table and opened it. He missed the look of surprise on Tenten's face as he took a quick assessment of the thick envelope's contents. "Her birthday present is free."

"Free?" Tenten repeated and he nodded his head. "Okay Uchiha, it better be good. If it isn't-"

"Tenten-"

"What?!" Tenten shouted back to her boss, silencing the clamor of the entire restaurant. "If you need someone to make drinks ask one of the other girls!"

The three girls who had previously been texting looked askance as they pretended to grab the nearest thing they could in an attempt to be working. The boss looked at the girls and then back at Tenten, his face growing redder with each passing second.

"We're working unlike you! You flirt with every good looking guy that walks in here!" A snarky redhead sniffed and pretended to badly polish a glass. Her cohorts dumbly nodded their agreement.

"Get back to your duties or you're fired!" Her boss hissed threateningly but Tenten only rolled her eyes and untied the strings of her apron. She balled up the coffee stained cloth and dropped it on the floor much to the chagrin of her coworkers and boss.

"I quit." She said with a simple shrug of her shoulders and sank down into the empty seat in front of Sasuke.

"You can't quit you're fired!" Her intended boss yelled but neither Sasuke nor the newly unemployed Tenten paid him any mind.

Instead, the Uchiha handed her Neji's letter and they poured over the rough plan laid out within it.

 **….**

 **Friday, December 24, 2017, 9:02 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

Her heart beat loudly in her ears as she shoved random articles of clothing into her bag. The early morning light filtered through her curtains, alerting her that time was of the essence. On her bed was her marriage contract, all two hundred pages of clauses and obligations. Next to it was a rough outline of what her days were to consist of in the aftermath of Hanabi's coming of age ceremony. There were tea times and appointments for dress fittings. Photo ops and registry appointments. Everything was coming to a head and she could do nothing to stop it. With shaking hands, she threw a sweater into her bag. She couldn't stay here a moment longer. Not when there was a strong possibility that she now had more than her own future to worry about.

Ino had been unable to return to the Hyuuga Compound again, something she suspected the Uzumakis had something to do with. Those little pink plus signs were something neither she nor Ino had expected to see. Even though Hinata was unable to fault Ino for no longer being able to come, the woman had been her only link to the outside world and couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Hanabi still refused to speak to her and between helping out at Gai's gym in addition to his usual workload Neji was never home. This morning was the first that she actually felt like herself and with that came the determination to leave.

She looked at herself in her floor-length mirror and pressed a hand to her flat stomach. Was there a life in there? The only answer she received was the faint growling of her stomach as the smell of something sweet wafted up the stairs. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply but then caught herself. She didn't have time to think of food. The only chance she had to slip away unnoticed was between the time that the night time servants switched over their duties to their daytime counterparts. It was a small window where her father was leaving and the maid that was tasked with checking on her hadn't yet made it up the stairs.

Hinata knew that her strength wasn't going to last long, she had to act quickly. By the time she made it downstairs the Hyuuga drivers would all be gone, not that they would have been able to drive her anywhere as per her father's orders. Steeling her resolve she zipped up her bag and prepared herself to walk the expansive distance between the Hyuuga compound and the rest of the world. If she timed it just right and paced herself it wouldn't take more than two hours. From there she wasn't quite sure what to do. She couldn't contact anyone without a phone and she didn't have any money. She shook the doubts away and opened her door. She could worry about the rest later, right now she just had to get out.

The first thing she noticed upon leaving her room was how quiet the main house was. The faint sound of rock music wasn't even emanating from Hanabi's room on the other end of the hall. Usually, she could hear the activity of the maids on the other side of the house trading gossip and what needed to be taken care of for the day but their voices never reached her ears. The second thing she noticed was the smell coming from the kitchen. It was positively mouthwatering. The Hyuuga servants had ceased making breakfast since neither one of the girls ate it so it was surprising that anyone would be cooking at this time.

Carefully she made her way down the stairs, praying that the staircase didn't betray her with a treacherous creak. She managed to make it all the way to the foyer when the rustle of someone leaving the kitchen made her dash to the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

 **…..**

 **Friday, December 24, 2017, 8:10 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

Sasuke wiped the sweat from his brow with the inside of his forearm, satisfied with the spread he'd created. It had taken most of the morning but even he had to admit that he'd outdone himself for once. He glanced at his watch and wondered absently just how much longer the Hyuuga was going to sleep in. If she continued like this he might actually start calling her 'Princess' like everyone else. With a roll of his eyes, he went over to the sink to wash his hands and bid his time until the Hyuuga Princess decided to come down for breakfast. In order for Neji's plan to executed as it was intended they were on a tight timetable. If she didn't come down soon he'd have to wake her up himself, not that he was opposed to that idea. However, before he could act on that idea he heard the small patter of footsteps and they didn't sound as though they were heading towards the kitchen. His curiosity turned to amusement when he saw the one he'd been waiting on loaded down with a heavy bag and her hand on the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked half seriously, half-jokingly.

The Hyuuga turned around so quickly that the bag she was carrying made her topple over onto her butt. Sasuke walked over to the tangle of limbs slowly, drinking in the sight of the woman who had consumed his thoughts for weeks. She was paler than he remembered but overall she looked alright. Somehow that confirmation made the tension in his chest lessen.

"Hyuuga, I asked you a question." He said as he held out his hand to help her back up.

"S-Sasuke!" She stammered, completely ignoring his hand and launching herself at him.

He had to take a step back to brace himself from her weight being thrown at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She said repeatedly, her voice sounding like she was close to tears. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Amused, he wrapped his arms around the small woman, bringing her closer and relishing the feeling.

"Care to explain why you've been ditching work Hyuuga?" He asked and surprisingly it made Hinata stiffen in his arms.

"How did you get in here?" She inquired, fearfully looking over his shoulder.

Now alarmed by her behavior he held her at arm's length, looking down into pale eyes filled with worry. If he pushed her too hard she was likely to faint and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Without a word he led her into the kitchen and directed her to sit at the island where he'd put all of the food. He watched as the woman's eyes widened at the spread before her. Everything from scrambled eggs to pancakes to cinnamon rolls was laid out on the island just waiting to be eaten. She looked up at him hesitantly as though she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do. Sasuke smirked and grabbed a piece of toast for himself in an effort to make her more comfortable.

"Did you make all this?" She asked and he nodded his head.

She didn't need much more prompting after that and began to dig into a little bit of everything he'd laid out except for the eggs. She claimed that they tasted funny but when he tried them they were just fine. When she'd managed to devour most of the breakfast on her own he decided to broach the subject that had been keeping him up all hours of the night. Her strange behavior from earlier on only furthered his worry.

"Hinata." He said firmly. "What is going on?"

The woman stopped mid-bite and placed the bacon she'd been working on back on her plate.

"I haven't been able to leave the compound but today I've felt well enough to leave." She said softly and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

Neji had told him that all of the vehicles were gone from the property at this time and if he wasn't mistaken Hinata didn't possess a driver's license. Just how was she expecting to get from here all the way into the city? Perhaps she'd called a cab...

"Father found out about us." She continued breaking him from his thoughts. "My accounts have been frozen. I was relieved of my responsibilities to the company. All of my electronics are gone. I shouldn't even be talking to you right now."

Sasuke clenched his fist on the marble countertop as he listened to her recount how she'd been essentially imprisoned within her own home. She didn't say it, he knew she didn't even think this way, but her current circumstance was all his fault. If he'd been able to detach himself after finding out about her engagement then she wouldn't look as though she were about to cry. If he hadn't attempted to force Hiashi's hand by gaining significant influence over his company the man wouldn't have felt the need to essentially lock away his own daughter. If he'd just kicked her out of bed the first night they met they both would have been better off for it.

"Today is the first day I actually feel like myself. I was going to find a way to get out. I'm sorry-"

"Stop apologizing Hyuuga." He said firmly and picked up her half eaten bacon off of her plate. "You have done nothing wrong."

He pressed the bacon to her lips and smirked as she blushed at the prospect of him feeding her. Hesitantly she opened mouth and accepted it, slowly chewing as he started to clear away some of the dishes. When the dirty dishes were all placed in the sink he checked his watch and mentally cursed. If they didn't leave now they'd end up running into one of the servants. Quickly, he dried his hands off just as the sound of a car horn went off in the distance.

"Let's go." He said and Hinata looked at him perplexed.

"Go?" She said with a slight tilt of her head.

"Weren't you trying to leave anyway?"

"W-well yes!" She stammered as he grabbed her hand and began leading her towards the front door. "But how did you even get in here in the first place?"

"That is privileged information Hyuuga." He replied with a smirk.

"Wait! I need my bag!"

"Where we're going you won't need it."

He grabbed his coat from where he'd left it in the foyer and tossed Hinata one that he'd seen her wear before. She shrugged it over her shoulders and scampered after him out the door.

"Sasuke! I should at least leave a note for my family! I didn't think to do it before because I was in a rush but I should do it now!"

Sasuke chuckled to himself and opened the door to the large black SUV that waited for them outside.

"It will be fine Hyuuga." He said, motioning for her to get in.

"But Sasuke-"

"Do you trust me?"

 **….**

 **Friday, December 24, 2017, 11:45 am**

 **Shopping District of Downtown Konoha**

 **...**

Downtown Konoha was busting at the seams with last-minute Christmas shoppers. Being cooped up in the house for so long she'd forgotten that Christmas was right around the corner. The savory mix of cinnamon and peppermint overtook the downtown air and everyone appeared to have an extra spring in their step. All of the activity going on around her made her a bit disoriented but Sasuke never let her out of arms reach. The man was on a mission and all Hinata could do was follow along as best as she could as he directed four unfortunate Uchiha interns to do his bidding. Hinata smiled sympathetically as the group labored along behind them carrying the multitude of shopping bags that they'd acquired. When they saw her looking at them, they immediately straightened up and held their bags a bit more proudly as they paraded through downtown Konoha.

"Sasuke," she started, reaching out to pull on the sleeve of his coat. "If we brought my bag we wouldn't have to go shopping."

"Nothing you own is appropriate." He said distantly, his attention focused on the display in yet another storefront window.

Hinata crossed her arms over her chest. She had just randomly thrown things in her bag but there was nothing inappropriate about what she'd taken. It wasn't like she owned rags. Huffing she followed Sasuke's gaze into the storefront and was surprised to see it was an outdoor sporting goods store. All of the winter sportswear was on display showing the full variety of activity that could be had even in the cold. The Uchiha motioned for the interns to wait outside while he dragged the thoroughly confused Hyuuga into the store. Hinata flashed one more pitying smile at the poor interns as they all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Once inside of the store, Sasuke made an immediate beeline towards the down jackets in the women's section. Hinata could only watch in a mix of amazement and horror as he pilfered through the jackets until he found what he was looking for. His prize was a puffy lavender coat that almost touched the floor. The monstrosity was stuffed to the gills with down feathers and made an irritating rustling noise at the slightest movement. Much to her dismay, he took the coat off the hanger and held it out to her as though he wanted her to try it on. She shook her head but he continued to hold it out insistently. She, however, would not budge. The jacket was undoubtedly expensive, unnecessarily warm for their current climate, and unbelievably ugly. Sasuke continued to hold out the garment despite her firm disapproval. Their nonverbal disagreement was solidly at a stalemate. Next to them, a blonde store-clerk chuckled at their expense.

"Ah! To be young and in love!" He sighed and flicked some of his long blonde hair over his shoulder. "It feels like your heart might just burst!"

Hinata and Sasuke felt a chill run down their spines as the blonde man edged closer to them. He took the ugly lavender coat from Sasuke and put it back in its proper place. He then retrieved a less obtrusive gray jacket with an inner wool lining and handed it back to the Uchiha.

"Now this is a much better option for your girlfriend hun. I think she'd look much more appealing in this." He suggested.

Gingerly, Sasuke took the coat and examined it inside and out. It seemed as though he was almost satisfied when he finally looked at the price tag. With a nod, he handed the garment back to the sales clerk who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Find these items." He said flatly and handed the man a list.

The clerk scanned the list for a moment before turning his gaze to Hinata. She shivered for a bit as he sized her up, inching behind Sasuke just a bit. When he seemed to have figured out what he wanted, the blonde's eyes lit up and he immediately began flitting around the store pilfering from one rack to another.

"Sasuke," she started curiously as they slowly followed the giddy sales clerk around the store. "Why did you suddenly want to get that jacket."

"It's more expensive than the last one." He said simply causing Hinata to stop in her tracks. "What?'

"I can't accept anything else from you today." She said emphatically. "You've already spent too much! These gifts are too much."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"This protest coming from a Hyuuga." He said. "If it makes you feel better these are not gifts."

"Not gifts?"

"No."

"Then what are they?"

"Things I want to buy."

Hinata looked at him skeptically, her mouth open to protest further but the sales clerk had already rung up a small mountain of winter wear and had his hand out for payment. Sasuke handed him a wad of cash without counting it out and took the bags off the counter. The sales clerks eyes glittered at the commission he'd made and gave Sasuke his change with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. When they exited the store the Uchiha interns stood ready at attention under the intimidating gaze of their boss. Sasuke handed the four interns even more bags to carry and continued on down the street without pausing to make sure they had adjusted the new weight properly. Hinata had no doubt that there would be a letter from Human Resources sent to their office after this about the misuse of interns.

After a not so small lunch, during which she snuck the interns portions of her meal when their boss wasn't looking, they resumed whatever convoluted mission Sasuke was set upon. The last department store they arrived at was a flamboyant lingerie boutique decked out in black lace and scantily clad mannequins. Sasuke tried to drag her into the store just like all of the others but for this, she put her foot down. She didn't want him to buy her underwear too that would be beyond embarrassing! He should have just let her take her bag, then they wouldn't have had to run all over town. Behind her the interns whispered, throwing suspicious looks at their boss and nudging one another with their elbows. Sasuke shot them a threatening glare that made them all turn their backs to the pair immediately and pretend to be interested in something else.

"Sasuke no!" She whispered harshly and he stopped trying to pull her in.

"Do you prefer not to wear underwear?" He deadpanned in a low voice causing Hinata's face to turn a brilliant shade of crimson. "I am not opposed to that option. In fact, it may be for the best."

Hinata covered her face with her hands and furiously shook her head at the Uchiha's inference. She'd forgotten just how much of a pervert he was. She peeked through her fingers at the man still looking at her without a hint of shame for his words.

"I like blue." He said.

Sasuke then pulled out his wallet and handed it to her, something that could only be interpreted as his own way of conceding to wait outside. Hinata let out a shaky breath of defeat and turned to enter the ostentatious store only to be stopped by Sasuke grabbing her wrist. Her heart beat faster as he pulled her close and pressed a short kiss to her temple.

"Model it for me later."

 **….**

 **December 24 2017 4:25pm**

 **In transit**

 **...**

When the afternoon sun began to tinge the sky orange, Sasuke seemed to finally be satisfied. The interns happily packed the trunk of the SUV with the bags they'd lugged around all day and bowed deeply until the vehicle pulled away. Quickly the cityscape gave way to the suburbs and soon even houses became scarce. Traffic lessened and trees were growing more and more abundant.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Hyuugas are impatient." He teased as he rummaged around in a bag on the floor and Hinata pouted.

Anytime she asked a question about their purpose or his intent he evaded the question. She really did need to know where they were going. They had pressing matters to discuss now that they were in private. Well...almost private. She didn't really want to disclose her thoughts of a possible Hyuuga-Uchiha pregnancy within earshot of their driver. Sasuke stopped digging around in his bag and pulled out a slender, silver recording device with earbuds attached. He reached across her lap, grabbed her right hand, and upturned it to place the small device into her palm.

"What is this?" She asked, perplexed by his offering.

"This," he started as he placed the earbuds in her ears. "Is a gift."

Hinata gave him a strange look. The man had been speaking in riddles for most of the day and frankly her now thoroughly fatigued mind couldn't keep up. As Sasuke turned his gaze away from her and out to the rapidly passing scenery she did the only thing she could do. She pressed play. Slowly, carefully, her ears were filled with the deep tremor of a cello being skillfully played to elicit some of the most beautiful sounds she'd ever heard. She glanced at Sasuke who was purposefully not looking at her and knew that he was the one playing. One song seamlessly floated into another making her heart flutter as the change in tempo sped up to a passionate pace. For almost an hour she listened to the unique recording until it finally stopped. When it did she pressed play again and again.

Sasuke was not one for words. Quite frankly neither one of them were very good at verbalizing themselves. The Uchiha was definitely the least proficient of the two to say how he was feeling but in her heart she knew.

 _And again._

In the way, he looked at her, the way he touched her. She knew. Everything with Sasuke spoke to his unique affection.

 _And again._

His hand slid across the dark leather of the middle seat between them and he intertwined his fingers with hers. Without her consent, fat tears spilled from her eyes and landed in her lap. The symphony he'd composed played loudly in her ears as they both stared straight ahead at the darkening sky.

"Sasuke...thank you."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	28. All of Me

**CCNote : Happy Saturday! Last night I was able to find THE BEST (and likely only) Tex-Mex restaurant in the entire prefecture that I nearly cried the food was so good. I love living in Japan but the food...yeeeaaaa of all the places I've lived and countries I've been to, Japanese food won't make it into my top 10. Now TAIWAN! Let me tell you, that food is banging! South Korea? So freaking good! If I wasn't so partial to Cajun cuisine I'd be tempted to put Korean at number 1...One day I'll get to that goal of having a basic bitch travel food blog. **

**_To the rather nasty guest_ : If SasuHina is a stupid ship, I'm the idiot captain. I'm glad you know! Also, I know you can tell from my profile that I am BLACK. Please refrain from using racial slurs when trying to insult me. I mean, it's 2017 and that's all you can come up with?**

 **Anywho, please read and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Enjoy!**

 **All of Me**

 **Friday, December 24, 2017, 8:30 pm**

 **Winter Estate**

 **...**

Hinata wasn't quite sure when she'd fallen asleep but she woke up to the sight of snow falling on the car and Sasuke gently shaking her awake. She looked out the car window, mesmerized and slightly disoriented by her new surroundings. Sasuke smirked and held open the heavy gray coat that he'd purchased earlier that day just as the driver cut off the engine. When she was all zipped up, he opened his side of the SUV and hurried over to her side to help her get out. As soon as her feet touched the ground a frigid wind hit her in the face, waking her up fully from her half slumbering state.

Looking ahead was a cluster of small cottages with all of their lights on and connected by open breezeways dripping in iridescent icicles. The cottages all surrounded the main house in the center in a very similar pattern to how the Hyuuga compound was set up. She grabbed Sasuke's hand, both of their noses already turning red. Nostalgia rolled over her as she recalled the many winters she'd spent here in this very snow, cuddled beneath mountains of blankets and pillows. The Winter Estate was her mother's favorite place of all the Hyuuga properties. As soon as her elementary school let out for winter break, her mother and father already had their bags packed and were ready to make the trek to get to it.

When her mother was alive, this place felt like more of a home than the Compound ever could. She hadn't been back in well over a decade. Her mother's memory was much too strong here for her father to ever bring them back. As Sasuke led her through the dimly lit courtyard the feeling of her mother's outsized presence grew stronger and stronger. How did Sasuke know about this place and what were they doing here? The ornate oak door of the main house loomed in front of them between two warmly lit windows. Just as she reached out to turn the doorknob, Sasuke stopped her and pulled her into a short hug.

"Happy Birthday Hinata." He whispered.

"Wh-what-" she stuttered as Sasuke opened the front door, utterly confused because it was still a few days before her birthday.

Light poured out into the frozen courtyard and with it the sounds of confetti poppers and noisemakers. She stood stunned as nearly every person she cared about crowded together inside of the lofty atrium.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Hinata!"

 **….**

 **Friday December 24 2017 8:50pm**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

The living room in the main building of the Winter Estate was just as warm as her vague memories could recall. Perhaps even more. Never before had there been this many people gathered within its walls. The large fireplace roared steadily, heating the entire room with its blaze. The entire space was decorated in a clashing mix of her favorite color, lavender, and the traditional red and green of Christmas. Lavender balloons and streamers littered the floor while holy and mistletoe were hung conspicuously through every doorway. She would have never expected to set foot in the Winter Estate again, let alone with all of her friends. Her heart was full near to bursting. She was so happy she actually might cry. Even seeing Hanabi flagrantly ignoring her on the couch made her entire spirit feel lighter. As her bottom lip began to quiver Sasuke placed a heavy hand on her head. She sniffed, a small smile playing on her lips. Without words, she knew what the gesture meant. ' _Don't cry you silly Hyuuga.'_ Just as she'd kept her tears at bay Naruto bounded up to them with the widest smile on his face and grabbed her wrist.

"That big one over there is from me and Ino!" Naruto said proudly with his chest puffed out as he dragged her away from Sasuke's side. "I bet it's better than anything this asshole will get you!"

"I don't know about that." Hinata giggled. There was nothing in the world that could best Sasuke's gift.

"Oh, I know! Trust me!" Naruto continued and removed a rather large orange bag from the table overflowing with gifts. "Here! Open it!"

"She can't open them today Naruto." Ino teased as she walked up to his other side and looped her arm through his. "It's not her birthday yet."

"But her birthday's on Monday. We won't get to see her open them."

"I'll be sure to send you my thanks, Naruto." Hinata reassured with a soft smile.

That seemed to appease the blonde somewhat but he still grumbled about not getting to see Sasuke's sour face. As Ino shook her head at Naruto's antics, Hinata couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. It appeared as though the two of them were on the right track. She would have to get Ino to tell her the details later. Sakura shuffled up to her right and pulled her into a half-hearted hug.

"My present is too big to wrap but I promise you'll love it." She said with a smile.

Hinata nodded her thanks but couldn't say much more before she was whisked off to the kitchen by Sasuke.

"Time to feed the Hyuuga." He said in a low voice, his breath tickling the shell of her ear.

She sent Sakura an apologetic smile which wasn't reciprocated. Instead, she turned away from them to occupy herself with helping Shikamaru string up lights on the Christmas tree.

 **….**

 **Friday, December 24, 2017, 9:27 pm**

 **Winter Estate-Main Building**

 **...**

"No! That can't possibly be true!" Ino gasped but Itachi wagged his finger.

"An Uchiha never lies!" He replied smoothly and the court of Hinata and her friends squealed.

Itachi was...embarrassing at times, but even Sasuke had to admit that the man had a way with words. He had nearly all of the women in attendance hanging onto his every word as though it were gold. Even Hanabi, who was pretending to be preoccupied with her phone, looked up occasionally from the couch to listen in to his tall tales. Any other time Sasuke would have felt jealous that his brother was getting so much attention from Hinata but tonight that emotion was nowhere to be seen. She looked so happy surrounded by her closest friends that he couldn't help but feel happy too. The girls all simultaneously gasped as Itachi went on with his shocking story and Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Women." Shikamaru mumbled from behind the ostentatiously large Christmas Tree as he connected multitudes of identical looking wires.

For the briefest of moments, Hinata turned her gaze away from Itachi and locked eyes with him. She blushed and flashed him a smile causing his heart to skip a beat.

"Thank you for your assistance in distracting her today Uchiha." Neji said as he approached him with two bottles of dark beer in his hands.

Hinata quickly turned her eyes back to Itachi as Neji sidled up to him, her face now bright red with embarrassment. Sasuke repressed a smirk and accepted the beer that Neji offered him. The two clinked their glasses together before continuing to stand together in silence. Sasuke appreciated the Hyuuga's less boisterous nature in comparison to Naruto at times. When he'd first met Neji, he'd assumed the man was no more than a stick in the mud. He was correct in that assumption but he wasn't so bad. Hinata snuck another innocent glance at him but quickly looked away again. A smile played at his lips as he took a sip of his beer. Just what was going on in that woman's head...

 **...**

Neji was not blind, nor was he deaf. He'd heard the rumors flitting around the water coolers of a relationship blossoming between the youngest Uchiha and his cousin. He had brushed them off as nothing more than petty rumors meant to entertain employees when they should be getting their work done. However, as he watched the way they behaved around each other tonight he knew that there had to be some truth to the gossip.

"Uchiha." Neji started, breaking the man's focus from his blushing cousin. "What are your intentions towards my cousin?"

"She is mine." Sasuke replied without a moment's hesitation.

Neji nodded his head stiffly, unperturbed by the man's directness after working with him the last few months. The Hyuuga sipped his beer and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sure you've seen her contract." Neji said carefully. "If you think I haven't been trying to find a way out of it you're wrong."

"Then we are on the same side once more." Sasuke said with a smirk but Neji shook his head.

"Even without the contract, Sabaku is able to provide for Hinata and their future children in ways we could only imagine. She would have the best. What could you possibly do for her that he can't?"

Neji watched as Sasuke paused to place his beer on the mantle behind them. He ran a hand through his dark locks and turned his obsidian gaze towards him for the first time all evening.

"I will make her happy."

With that, he walked away towards the kitchen with his hands shoved. Neji sighed as he watched Hinata's eyes follow him across the room like a homing beacon. Whatever Sasuke's feelings were towards his cousin it was clear that it was mutual. A sharp elbow stabbed him in the side, breaking him from his thoughts. He glared down at the lanky woman as he resisted the urge to rub his sore side. Tenten only smiled sweetly at him.

"You are thinking much too hard for a pretty boy." She teased. "Care to share?"

"Hinata and...Sasuke." He answered after a long pause. Tenten nodded her head solemnly as they watched Hinata discreetly leave the story circle and follow after the Uchiha.

"You noticed it too huh?" She said pensively. "I've never seen them have any interactions together before now but...it's like they gravitate towards each other."

Hinata returned only a few moments later with a rather moody looking Sasuke who she forced to sit down and listen to his older brother's tale. She took a seat beside him and although they weren't touching just seeing them next to one another looked intimate. How had he not noticed this before?

"From what I've gathered of knowing Sasuke he's a pretty aloof guy. He barely gave any of the other baristas the time of day." she said with a smile. "They tried really hard too."

Hinata hugged her knees to her chest and was even more enraptured in Itachi's story than before. Her smile was wider, eyes brighter. It was the happiest he'd seen her in weeks. The moody façade that Sasuke wore had quickly melted away when he sat down but he wasn't listening to his brother. He was watching Hinata's reaction to the story, fully enraptured in the way she pushed her hair behind her ear or the way she laughed.

"I've never seen him look at anyone in the shop that way." Tenten observed. "I didn't even think he was capable."

Neji finished off his beer and placed the empty bottle on the mantle. He wanted to see his cousin happy. Out of everyone she at least deserved that. However, he'd been raised that happiness was always secondary. It was not in their family's practice to prioritize anything over the security and success of the clan.

"If..." He started, unsure of just how he wanted to phrase what was on his mind. "If you had to choose between happiness and security, which would you choose?"

Tenten's brown eyes stared up at him intently before looking away and heading back to her group of friends.

"You already know my answer."

 **….**

 **Friday December 24 2017 11:24pm**

 **Winter Estate- Cottage 8**

 **...**

As the night drew on, one by one her friends retired to their own cottages on the compound. Sakura was the most excited to be able to have her own all to herself since it was a given that Ino would be staying with Naruto. Absently she noticed that the pink haired woman was a little _too_ excited to be on her own. Her enthusiasm became increasingly more forced as the night wore on. Hinata sighed as she stepped out of the warm steam of her shower. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but Sakura was growing distant to all of them.

She shook her head as she dried herself off. Before they left the Winter Estate she would get to the bottom of Sakura's strange behavior. With that in mind, she turned her attention to the silk, navy blue robe draped over the side of her bed. She blushed as she recalled how embarrassing it was to actually purchase such a scandalous article of clothing along with the rest of her lingerie. She usually didn't wear things like this and by what she'd witnessed in her friend's closets this could even be considered tame.

Nerves started taking over as she slipped her arms through the flimsy material. What if he didn't come tonight? It had been a long day, it would make sense for him to go straight to bed. She, however, had a second wind and would be unable to sleep even if she wanted to. A knock on the front door of her cottage alerted her from her thoughts. Excitedly she scampered towards the front door, her heart fluttering a mile a minute. When she opened the door she was not disappointed.

The frigid air from outside poured into her toasty living room. It could have been due to the sharp change in climate or perhaps the reason was the way he looked as though he wanted to devour her on sight. Or maybe she might actually have lost her mind. Whatever the case may be, she slowly untied the knot of the blue robe and allowed the thin material to slip down her shoulders. The material caught at her elbows but her entire body was laid bare before him.

Goosebumps prickled her skin and her nipples hardened from the wind coming into the cottage from the open door but she didn't move. She wanted him to see her. Sasuke, of course, was more than willing to oblige. His cold fingers slid up her sides to cup her breasts, the digits ghosting over her erect nipples. Obsidian eyes stared back into her own. The look they possessed wasn't asking for permission to proceed. No. He wanted confirmation, reassurance that now she truly was his. That from this moment on she would give all of herself to him and not to any other. Only him. As she allowed the rest of the robe to fall to the hardwood floor, he stepped into the cottage and closed the door.

 **….**

"Hinata."

Hinata languidly looked up from his chest with heavy-lidded eyes. Their lovemaking had sucked out all of her energy and she was nothing more than pudding in his arms. His nimble fingers trailed up and down her spine, pulling her even further into a state of post-coital bliss. Sasuke turned onto his side so that he could face her directly and wove his fingers through her hair. He tilted her head back and angrily captured her swollen lips with his own. The fire that they'd started earlier rekindled itself within her. She felt herself growing warmer as his tongue coaxed her own into reengaging. When he released her she was much more alert.

"Don't return to the Hyuuga compound."

Gently, he pushed her shoulder so that she laid on her back and he loomed over her. His dark eyes drank in her form beneath him greedily and sent a pleasurable shudder through her body. She gasped when he spread her legs without warning and positioned himself at her entrance. Torturously he teased her by sliding two of his fingers inside at a lazy pace, his thumb playing with her overly sensitive clit. Her legs trembled as his fingers slowly pumped in and out of her, her moans filling the otherwise silent room. His name was the only thing she was able to utter as his skillful fingers played her body over and over again.

"Mine."

She didn't even have time to respond before he slid all of himself into her. That familiar feeling of warmth enveloped her as he moved within her. Their bodies rocked against one another, their hips meeting one another's thrust for thrust. All thoughts were thrown out of her mind as he grabbed her hips and increased the force of his thrusts. She was barely able to keep up. All she could do as pleasure rocked through her body was to hold onto his shoulders and pray she didn't go mad. It wasn't long before her already sensitive body came from his ministrations and a few moments later he also filled her up. Both of them moaned as he removed himself from her one last time. Breathing heavily, Sasuke rolled over onto his back and pulled her into his side. She listened to his erratically beating heart and she tried to slow her own breathing. When they were finally able to collect themselves, she curled into his side and his fingers resumed their trek along her spine. His deep voice cut through the silence of the night bringing back memories of a simple request that she'd made of him the night of the Signing.

"Stay with me."

 **….**

 **Saturday, December 25, 2017, 10:30 am**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

Hinata sighed as she placed the small white stick on the counter, this morning was a moment of truth. In only a few minutes she'd have the confirmation she needed about the life she may or may not be carrying inside of her. A life that she and Sasuke created together. Even though she was scared out of her mind about the repercussions, a small selfish part of her was hopeful. Over the last forty-eight hours she'd grown more accustomed to the idea of the possibility.

 _Knock, knock, knock_

"Hina, are you okay in there?" Tenten's muffled voice asked through the bathroom door.

At first, Hinata nodded her head but then she realized that she was alone and cracked open the door. Just outside of the door were Ino and Tenten. Both women at looks of concern on their faces as she closed the bathroom door behind her. Ino was holding the box that possessed the second test, eager to hear what the results of the first might be.

"Well?" She asked but Hinata only shook her head.

"It'll be a few more minutes. I just took it." She said and her friends nodded their heads.

"Are you sure you're ready for something like this?" The brunette asked.

Hinata blushed furiously and bit her bottom lip as she contemplated the question. Was she ready? Did Sasuke even want kids? Tenten ruffled the top of her head before bringing her into a hug.

"Even if you're not ready, I know you will be." She said confidently.

Hinata wrapped her arms around Tenten's waist and smiled. Ino teared up a bit as she watched them embrace, undoubtedly the start of her own hormones being triggered. Tenten shook her head and extended her left arm so that Ino could get in on the hug as well. The brunette squeezed both girls close until Ino's tear's dried up and Hinata's complexion returned to normal.

"I'm never working coffee shop hours again." She whined. "Without me around to keep you in line the both of you got knocked up."

Hinata's eyes widened at the statement, suddenly remembering the pregnancy test she'd left on the bathroom counter. Quickly she scampered back into the bathroom and grabbed the test with shaking fingers. Ino and Tenten crowded in on either side in an attempt to peek at the result. Ino immediately squealed and wrapped her arms around Hinata's neck.

"Now I don't have to go through this alone!" she blubbered as tears started to well up for her again.

"You were never alone Ino. You have the future Hokage, you big baby!" Tenten reprimanded.

"Did someone say future Hokage?" Naruto's cheery voice called from the open doorway of the hallway bathroom.

The girls broke apart to see Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji crowding together in the hall.

"We heard a scream and these two got scared." Naruto said, pointing accusatory fingers at Sasuke and Neji.

"You were the concerned one idiot. You dragged us along." Sasuke grumbled as he smoothed down the front of his shirt that had been rumpled by the blonde dragging him to the source of the scream.

"If nothing is amiss, we are waiting to open Christmas presents." Neji said with a roll of his eyes.

"Presents!" Ino repeated, immediately perking up at the prospect.

She finally released Hinata and pushed through the boys to head down the hall. Naruto trailed after her with pleas that she not move too quickly. Neji and Tenten followed silently behind them although Tenten threw her a quick thumbs up before she departed. Sasuke held out his hand to her, a silent gesture that they would follow the others together but she shook her head. All of the words she wanted to say flew from her mind. What if he changed his mind about her? What if this pregnancy was a bridge, too far for him? What if he rescinded his request for her to stay with him?

Her tongue felt too big for her mouth but she ignored it. Sasuke had a right to know. Whether he wanted the baby or not he had a right to know of its existence. His dark eyes staring at her intently almost lulled her into a sense that he would stay. That _this_ would not be the thing to drive them apart. With trembling hands, she placed the test in his open palm and took two steps back. He looked down at the small device, utterly perplexed at what she had given him. She nervously bit her bottom lip at his furrowed brow and his confused eyes attempting to figure out what the pink plus sign meant. Slowly he seemed to be able to put two and two together and tore his eyes away from the test to stare at her, shock evident across his features.

"Are you..." his voice trailed off, for once his words dying on his lips but he did not sound disappointed. He wasn't angry or disgusted. For the first time since she'd met him, Sasuke actually sounded hopeful. Her lips parted into a wide smile as he finally stepped into the bathroom.

"Hinata?" He questioned and she nodded her head slowly, her own joy beginning to seep out when his eyes lit up.

"Merry Christmas Sasuke."

 **….**

 **Saturday December 25 2017 5:01pm**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

"You're doing that wrong." Hanabi quipped as she hovered next to Sasuke who was craving slices of the large slab of ham before it was to be placed on the table. "Those slices are way too thick. What do you think we are animals?"

"Hn." Sasuke grunted in response.

From the corner of her eye, Hinata noticed Sasuke actually slice the slabs a little thinner but not by much. She suppressed her own smile so he could keep his pride and returned to pulling the rolls out of the oven. The elder Hyuuga wasn't quite so sure why but Sasuke was actually able to get Hanabi to slowly interact with something that wasn't her own phone. Sure she mostly harrassed the Uchiha but it was a welcome change. She took another peek at the pair. This time Hanabi was trying to steal a piece of the ham but she was met with a sharp slap on her wrist.

"I'm afraid the other occupants are on the verge of a riot from the smells coming from this kitchen." Itachi lamented as he entered the room and Hinata giggled at his dramatics. He opened the door of the oven and peered inside at the evenly browned turkey. "What could possibly be taking so long, they cry. It's not like you're making a _baby_."

At the mention of the word 'baby' Sasuke's knife slipped, narrowly avoiding cutting his finger off, and Hinata almost dropped the rolls she was holding. The kitchen felt silent as the adults all looked at each other as though they were in the middle of a three-way standoff. That is until the tension was split by Hanabi bursting out into a fit of side-splitting laughter. She slapped the table as she wiped an imaginary tear from her eye from laughing too hard.

"Like that would ever happen!" She cackled and Sasuke bristled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked with narrowed eyes. Hanabi sucked in her teeth at his obviously stupid question.

"That you could only get a girl like my sister in your dreams! She's too good for you." She answered, her eyes cutting guiltily to her older counterpart clutching the tray of rolls. Hinata felt her mouth fall open slightly at Hanabi's words. Hope sprang in her that her sister might be starting to come back around to her usual self again. Mildly insulted, Sasuke snatched the platter of ham off of the table and marched out towards the dining room.

"Brat." He grumbled under his breath.

"I heard that asshole!"

Hinata giggled and risked patting the top of Hanabi's head as she passed by her with the rolls. The girl blushed but she didn't move away, a clear signal that she was, in fact, coming around. With that in mind, Hinata proudly placed the rolls on the expansive dining room table. There was no doubt in her mind that her little sister would sneak her way into her bed tonight and finally be willing to talk. All she'd needed was time. Around the table sat all of their guests eager to eat minus Shikamaru who was beginning to doze off in his chair.

"This all looks great Hinata!" Naruto praised, his mouth already watering to try all of the many dishes laid out on the table. If they weren't careful the blonde could eat it all on his own.

"Thanks, Naruto." She said shyly as she took her seat between Sakura and Tenten.

Hanabi plopped down at one end of the table while Itachi took the other when he placed the turkey down. With a flourish, Itachi clapped his hands.

"Alright! Let's eat!" He announced but just as everyone was about to dig in, the doorbell rang. Sakura immediately popped out of her seat as though someone had set it on fire.

"I'll get it!" She said cheerily as she scurried out of the dining room, ignorant of the confused looks on the faces of everyone else.

"Neji?" Tenten asked hesitantly. "Did you invite anyone else?"

"No, I was about to ask you the same thing." He said with a shake of his head.

Hinata locked eyes with Sasuke across the table but he was just as confused as everyone else. Anyone who was supposed to be here was already seated around the table. Muffled voices approached the dining room and its guests all stood to acknowledge the newcomers. It felt as though it were an eternity before Sakura finally made it back to them, this time with a huge smile on her face and an arm looped around the red head's waist. Gaara's hair was peppered with snow but his intense gaze was not to be cooled. He bowed respectfully to the silent occupants who in return could barely nod their heads. Unhurriedly he made his way to Hinata's end of the table. Each step made her breathing grow increasingly shallow as a thousand thoughts ran through her mind at once. She was barely able to register Sakura's gleeful clapping as Gaara took her hand and raised it to his lips.

"Merry Christmas." He said with a smile.

She, on the other hand, could say nothing, frozen in place until Sakura sat her back down in her seat.

"Like I said, my gift to you was a bit too big to wrap but I know you'll _love it_."

 _ **To be continued...**_


	29. Eavesdropping

**CCNote: Whew! Yesterday was sports day and I'm completely pooped but it was an interesting experience! The events they had were really freaking violent and would never be allowed in the US lol! Literally, during the bamboo stealing event for the girls, some of my quietest girls were dragging bitches across the field, throwing bony ass elbows, and stepping on faces. It was nothing short of vicious. The boys had some hat knocking off thing that looks like a game of chicken. It looked like a massacre as bodies fell from shoulders and the hats of the fallen were held up like trophies.**

 **Anywho! Thanks sooooooooo much for the outpouring of support for the last chapter! I wish I could respond to everyone but just know that your reviews mean a lot to me! When this story reached 1K reviews I literally screamed as I knew I would. I'm so happy so many people are vibing with this story. Excuse glaring typos. I'll go back and fix them up. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!**

 **Eavesdropping**

 **Saturday, December 25, 2017, 5:30 pm**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

 _"Like I said, my gift to you was a bit too big to wrap but I know you'll_ love _it_ _."_

"The least you could do would be to show us where to put our stuff Pinkie." Temari scoffed from the entrance of the dining room.

Her hands were on her hips and her eyes were narrowed at the woman who had whisked her youngest brother away as soon as they'd crossed the threshold. Kankuro snickered behind his hand as Sakura immediately jumped up from her seat, cursing her own forgetfulness. The blonde woman rolled her eyes and waved off the tardy gesture before taking an empty seat beside a shocked Shikamaru.

"Too late now Pinkie, I'm already offended." She said and turned her attention to the now alert brunette. "Did you think you could hide from me all the way up here in the mountains?"

"Pretty sweet place ya got here!" Kankuro complimented taking a seat on Tenten's empty left side. "And who might you be?"

"Tenten." She replied and a sly smile spread across his face.

"Tenten eh? Simple, cute. I like it."

Across the table, Neji looked as though he were ready to gouge Kankuro's eyes out with his spoon as the man openly ogled Tenten. Hinata tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat. If she didn't do something soon this night was not going to end well. Quickly she rose to her feet and tried to think of an excuse to cut the tension in the room.

"I...I'll go get extra plates!" She squeaked and Sasuke rose from his seat as well.

"She can get plates on her own Sasuke." Sakura giggled at the Uchiha's instant reaction to help her. "Or maybe Gaara can help?"

"I wouldn't mind assisting." He said, rising to his feet. "After all, we are the ones imposing at the last minute."

Hinata felt her face heat up as Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he didn't sit back down.

"I don't need any help really!" She said nervously but Gaara only smiled.

"I insist."

The clatter of a fork rudely clattering on an empty plate drew the attention of the table's occupants to the head. Hanabi noisily scrapped her chair back and began walking the length of the dining room table towards the exit.

"Hana, where are you going?" Hinata called after her but the girl didn't turn around.

"I've lost my appetite." She said through clenched teeth and tried to walk out of the room.

"Hana-" Hinata started to call after her to stop her but Itachi had already grabbed her wrist when she reached his end of the table.

Hanabi didn't try to get him to release her but her shoulders shook and by the look on Itachi's face she knew that her sister was about to cry. The eldest Uchiha's jaw was tightened as he calmly placed his unused linen onto his empty plate and stood up from his chair.

"I believe I've lost my appetite as well." He said tensely and turned a tight smile for the rest of the guests in the room. "Enjoy dinner. If you would excuse us."

He bowed stiffly to everyone and pulled Hanabi out of the dining room before more of a spectacle could be made. Temari raised an eyebrow at his departure and turned her calculating green eyes towards Sakura.

"Well, this has been quite the reception."

 **….**

 **Saturday, December 25, 2017, 6:45 pm**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

When their awkward dinner, which consisted of more pushing food around on one's plate than actual consumption, had finally concluded many of the guests preferred to head to bed for the night. The journey for the Sabaku siblings to get to the Winter Estate had been a long one while the other guests had already had a full day. However, Sakura was not on board with that idea and had corralled everyone into the main house's living room. She'd even been gutsy enough to try to procure Itachi and Hanabi out of the teen's cottage. That attempt had only earned a door slammed in her face which consequently shook snow from the awning loose and onto the woman's bright pink head.

Hinata would be lying if she said she hadn't gotten a small sense of satisfaction when she'd watched the scene transpire from the kitchen window. Her joy was shortlived though when both Gaara and Sasuke barged into the kitchen to offer their services with cleaning the dishes. Fortunately, Tenten swooped in and kicked both of the men out of the kitchen and into the living room claiming that they would just get in the way.

"Hinata." Tenten said as she dried the last plate and placed it into the cabinet above the sink. "That Gaara guy. He's been to the shop with you twice now. What is he to you?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip and reached into the dirty water in the sink to pull the plug. She watched as the murky water swirled down the drain, wistfully wondering if she could follow it out the house and away from this awkward predicament.

"He..." She started off slowly. "He's supposed to be my fiance."

At first, Hinata was afraid that Tenten would be angry with her but instead all she was met with was worry and concern. Her brown eyes were wide and her mouth was agape as she tried to piece together what little she knew about the situation.

"But...I thought?" She said, her voice low as she moved to stand next to her in case they were overheard.

In the living room, they could hear the sounds of Sakura's boisterous attitude as she tried to explain the rules of some asinine game she wanted the other guests to play. Everyone seemed more occupied by her explanation at the moment than whatever they were doing in the kitchen.

"How? I thought you and Sasuke?" Tenten whispered, her words making the weight on Hinata's shoulders feel heavier and heavier.

"Gaara was looking for a wife. Somehow I caught his interest. My father saw a good opportunity and decided to open up negotiations between the Hyuuga and Sabaku." Hinata explained the complicated situation as simply as she could.

"But now you're pregnant and Gaara is definitely not the father."

Hinata nodded her head guiltily. She waited for Tenten's judgment to rain down on her. For her best friend to tell her how irresponsible she'd been. How could she get herself into this kind of mess? However, that line of commentary never came. Instead, Tenten let out a deep breath and playfully pushed her with the side of her hip.

"God. That's a lot to keep bottled up Hina." She said with a smile. "No wonder you've been acting strange for so long."

"You're not mad?" Hinata asked, looking up in disbelief at the woman next to her.

"Of course not!" She laughed with a shake of her head. "I'm just happy that you finally told me! Goodness, you Hyuuga keep too many secrets. I swear, one day your heads will explode!"

"What's all this about exploding?" A calm voice asked from the doorway of the kitchen.

Hinata and Tenten froze what they were doing to turn towards the intruder. Temari was leaning against the doorway, her lips in a tight line and her arms over her chest. Her blood ran cold as the thought of Temari- Gaara's sister of all people- had somehow overheard their conversation. Surprisingly that wasn't the case as the woman instantly smiled again and cocked her head curiously to the side.

"What's with the faces?" She laughed and pointed her thumb back into the direction of the living room. "If anything I should be the one about to explode. Whats up with your friend? She keeps trying to make Gaara talk and that's not something he's comfortable doing in front of strangers."

Tenten and Hinata shared a knowing look. Leave it to Sakura to try to make everyone get to know each other through forced conversation. The sound of her laughter floated into the kitchen causing all three women to roll their eyes.

"In any case." Temari sighed. "I'm trying to be nice and not strangle your friends. Do you have anything strong enough to keep that from happening?"

"Yes!" The Hyuuga said, happy that it appeared that Temari was none the wiser to their previous conversation. "I'll get something from the wine cellar for you."

"Thank you! See look at that. Just the prospect of alcohol and I'm being nice already."

Hinata flashed the older woman a sympathetic smile and nodded her head. In the living room, things were not as calm. The three women shuffled to the broad kitchen window as the living room's back door slammed shut. The Hyuuga's heart sank as she watched Sasuke's retreating back disappear into the night.

 **….**

 **Saturday, December 25, 2017, 7:00 pm**

 **Winter Estate- Main House**

 **...**

Hinata sighed as she walked up the stone steps of the dusty wine cellar. In her arms she cradled two bottles of wine precariously, praying with each step that she didn't fall on her way up. Despite how wonderful the day had begun, this night was rapidly spiraling from bad to worst and she wanted nothing more than for it to be over. As she reached the top of the stairs she paused to take a much-needed breath before opening the door that led to the kitchen. She still wasn't at her full strength just yet and the events of the day had taken a lot out of her.

"What the hell Sakura." Came Ino's muffled voice on the other side of the door. Hinata paused and carefully readjusted the bottles in her arms. "Why did you invite _him._ "

"Was I wrong to?" Sakura replied while behind the door Hinata nodded furiously that she was indeed wrong. "Hinata was so happy to see him. She was blushing and stuttering and everything around him."

"Still-"

"Still what Ino? Are we going to talk about Hinata all night or are you going to help me? She's fine. She's got the most eligible bachelor in Konoha and Suna. Somehow you managed to snag the son of the freaking Hokage. Even Tenten has some weird love-hate thing going on with Hinata's cousin and Kankuro's been eying her all night. I'm the only one alone and I need your help."

"My help? What do you need my help for?"

Hinata pressed her ear against the space between the frame and the door. It was wrong to eavesdrop but somehow she couldn't stop herself. The sound of awkward shuffling made their voices incoherent to her but Ino's gasp was evidence enough that whatever Sakura wanted help with she didn't want to do.

"Shhhhhhh." Sakura hissed. "Keep it down Ino-pig!"

"No, absolutely not! I am not giving you that kind of advice."

"Please. Do you know how hard it is to watch everyone else be happy but know that you're the only one alone?"

"I can't Sakura. He's your fucking boss! You know I've told you to draw a line and not to cross it but you didn't listen to me. In any case, I am positive that the attraction isn't mutual. I'm an expert on these things remember?"

Her heart beat loudly in her ears as she took a half step back. Did Sakura want advice about Sasuke? Did she actually like him in that way despite her claims not to? No, that couldn't be right. Maybe she meant Itachi? Technically he was her boss as well...

"What if I say it is?" Sakura continued and Ino sucked her teeth.

"Sakura please, when we get back we can go guy hunting like we used to. It'll be fun-"

"I'm serious! I actually do like him, maybe even more than like. I have been by his side for so long I just want to tell him how I feel. When I kissed him-"

"Wait! What?! You kissed Sasuke!"

Sakura tried to shush Ino but Hinata had heard her loud and clear. Her heart immediately started to feel like it was breaking. Sasuke and Sakura had kissed. The image of them together in her mind made her sick to her stomach. What had transpired between them while she was away? What had they done all alone in the office? Did he kiss Sakura the same way he kissed her? Did he touch her, hold her, make love to her the same way?

 _'Oh god!'_ She thought as her knees became weak underneath her own weight.

The idea of him being happy with Sakura while she'd been wallowing in her own depression hurt more than anything else. For Sasuke, their relationship was only a matter of proximity and convenience. If she was out of his sight she was out of his mind. She closed her eyes and tried to even out her erratic breathing. She didn't know much about pregnancy but she knew that getting herself worked up wouldn't be good for the baby.

"Hey, guys." Came the voice of Tenten entering the kitchen. "Has Hinata come out of the wine cellar yet? She's been in there awhile."

"Wine cellar?" Sakura and Ino asked simultaneously.

Hinata wiped her face awkwardly with the heel of her hand and prayed that she didn't look as though she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. As footsteps drew closer to the cellar door she took a deep breath and pushed on the wood to let herself into the kitchen. Tenten took a step back in surprise at her sudden appearance while Ino looked like she was about to throw up.

"Hey, Hina!" Sakura said cheerfully. "Maybe you can give me some advice since Ino's being 'judgy' today now that she has a _boyfriend_."

"Sakura. Drop it. Just drop it." Ino said, exasperation in her voice as she grabbed Sakura's wrist. Sakura sidestepped her and stuck her tongue out.

"Hinata enchants every guy she meets. She'd know what to do about Sasuke."

Tears threatened to break free through her resolve but somehow she was able to hold them back. Without a word she carried her bottles on shaky feet out of the kitchen and towards the living room, leaving a perplexed Sakura in her wake.

"What? Was it something I said?"

 **….**

 **Saturday, December 25, 2017, 9:12 pm**

 **Winter Estate- Cottage 8**

 **...**

Sasuke frowned as an old mahogany clock on the wall continued to mark the passage of time, each tick rendering him increasingly anxious. How long was Hinata going to play host to the Sabaku family? The redheaded member of said family was doing everything in his power to get under his skin and his naive secretary wasn't much help...

 _"It's really cold here compared to Suna huh?" Sakura said with a smile as she dealt cards around the circle._

 _"It is." Gaara said stiffly, his back straight and his eyes periodically flitting towards the kitchen._

 _Sasuke's own eyes narrowed each time the man looked in that direction. He knew what kind of thoughts were running through Gaara's head. Whether they were innocent or not they all involved Hinata and that bothered him immensely. To his right, Neji tapped his fingers impatiently on the low circular coffee table. It was the only sign of frustration he allowed himself to show as he watched Gaara's behavior as well. Neither one of them liked the constant attention he was giving the kitchen. Sasuke looked down at his hand as Sakura pushed his cards against his fingertips but he didn't pick them up. He never agreed to play whatever stupid game this was anyway. The woman pouted slightly but turned her attention back to Gaara._

 _"How long will you be staying in Konoha?" She asked. "I'm sure Hinata would prefer if you stayed in town longer this time."_

 _Gaara tore his eyes away from the kitchen with mild curiosity at Sakura's statement. Next to Gaara, Temari snorted and rolled her eyes._

 _"You sure ask a lot of questions Pinkie." She said to which her brother Kankuro immediately began snickering._

 _"I'm only asking because I'm her friend and she seems to like him." Sakura replied, unused to the directness of the eldest Sabaku sibling._

 _"I think you're just being nosey." The blonde woman said and picked her cards up from the table._

 _Sakura pressed her lips into a tight line but did not respond to that comment. To her right, Ino nervously smiled and picked up her cards._

 _"Let's play!" She said brightly although her words lacked their usual sense of happiness._

 _The other guests picked up their cards and began to play but Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest in an act of immature defiance. He was not in the mood to play games tonight. It was only a few rounds into the game when Sakura restarted her line of questioning._

 _"When Hinata went to Suna a couple of months ago she said she had a good time!" She said and Gaara, once more, stiffly nodded his head. "I miss working at the Uchiha headquarters in Suna sometimes. It was much warmer and the food was better. Don't you think Sasuke? It was just the two of us back then!"_

 _Sasuke didn't say anything to her instead he watched Gaara's eyes flit back to the kitchen and fight the urge to punch him in the jaw. Temari seemed to be irritated as well since she threw her cards onto the table and without a word left the living room. Kankuro chuckled under his breath but didn't comment on her sudden departure._

 _"Actually..." Gaara started as he studied his own cards and placed a matching pair on the table."Hinata will be returning with me to Suna after her sister's ceremony."_

 _"What?" Sasuke and Neji hissed simultaneously while Sakura's face couldn't look any happier._

 _"Really?" She said breathlessly._

 _"I mean no offense Sabaku but Hinata leaving so soon was not in the agreement." Neji said tensely. "I'm sure my Uncle would want to be informed of this change. The ceremony is in two weeks!"_

 _Gaara tilted his head slightly to the side, green eyes impassive to the challenge Neji had posed to him._

 _"He already knows. It was his idea and we discussed this weeks ago. Were you not informed?"_

 _"Ah! Did you ask for her father's permission? That's so romantic." Sakura squealed and would have said more if it wasn't for Ino placing a hand over her mouth._

 _"She's not leaving with you." Sasuke said firmly and stood up from his seat at the coffee table. Gaara didn't look up, instead, he played another pair from his hand even though the game was clearly over._

 _"I believe I have already discussed Hinata's future with her father. All parties have come to an agreement and I believe, if I remember reading correctly Uchiha, nowhere in there does it state that you have the power to dictate anything in our relationship. If I say she's leaving, she's leaving."_

 _Sasuke moved to grab Gaara on the other side of the table, his anger completely taking over his sense of judgment but he was stopped by Naruto grabbing his left arm and Neji springing up to grab his right. Gaara calmly placed his cards face down on the table and stared blankly at him. If anything that look alone increased his rage._

 _"Can we get back to this game or must we all continue to be subject to your temper tantrum?"_

… Neji and Naruto would have been unable to stop him if he actually tried to lunge at Gaara again. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the idea of Hinata looking disappointed in him. She was never one for violence and him getting into a fight would only make this Christmas descend further into chaos. Even though he'd separated himself from the situation, he was close to marching back up to the main house and dragging her back to her cottage when the front door finally opened. She knocked the snow off of her hair and shrugged out of her heavy coat. Sasuke moved to take it from her but she skirted around him. Something was wrong. She wouldn't even acknowledge the fact that he was standing right there.

"Hinata." He said and he followed her into the only bedroom of the cottage.

She continued to ignore him in favor of rummaging through her bags to find something to put on for the night. She found a new fluffy gray pajama set that Tenten had given her that afternoon and walked past him into the bathroom in the hallway. He tried to follow her in there as well but she shut the door in his face.

"Hinata." He said again, his irritation mounting. He knocked on the bathroom door but still did not get a response. "Hinata open the door."

He knocked again but she still didn't answer. It was a few more minutes before she came out again, changed into her new set of pajamas. She pushed past him to go back to the bedroom and crawled into the queen-sized bed. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed but when he did that she actually looked at him.

"Please leave." She said, her voice uncharacteristically small and cold.

"Hinata what is going on?" He asked but she laid back down and pulled the blankets over her head.

"Leave."

"There is a lot that we have to discuss Hinata."

He tugged at the edge of the blankets until he could see her face which was red and blotchy with tears. Even then she still refused to look at him. She covered her eyes with her hands and choked back a sob. The sound was enough to lessen his frustration but only just so.

"Y-y-you said-" she stammered, her breathing uneven and her shoulders shaking. "You said...that you belong to m-me. You're s-s-supposed to be mine. That's what you said. You lied."

Sasuke grabbed both of her wrists and attempted to pry her hands away from her face as gently as he could but she refused to budge.

"Please." She said through her tears. "Please just go."

She began to tremble the longer he stayed and fearing that the overstimulation may cause her to faint he stood up. He wanted to hold her. To ask her what the hell was going on but her words had cut straight through to his pride. How could she doubt his sincerity after everything? What in the world did he do for her to believe anything else? Hinata was the only woman he had ever let in enough to have the capability of hurting him. The uncomfortable feeling in his chest increased so much with her final plea that he left, signifying just how much power she had over him.

Silently he left the bedroom, closing its door behind him. He picked up his coat from the couch and left the cottage entirely. Hinata needed some space and he needed fresh air. A gust of frigid wind bit at his face as he walked through the open air passageway leading away from Hinata's cottage. He walked until he made it to the frozen rotunda of the courtyard that connected all of the cottages together before the walkway merged into a single path towards the main house. He leaned against the icy railing and watched as his breath turned to smoke before his eyes. Around him only a couple of the other cottages still had their lights on, their occupants all retired to bed for the night. He desired nothing more than to also be in bed with Hinata at his side despite the fact that she was upset with him. He had no idea what he'd done to make her react that way. Absently he rubbed the center of his chest in an effort to lessen the tightening feeling but to no avail.

"Sasuke!" A voice called out behind him.

He turned away from the railing to see his secretary bounding up to him, her pink hair a unique contrast against the falling snow. She increased her pace to cross the distance between them, careful not to fall on her way there. A huge smile was on her face and her green eyes were alert and bright despite the lateness of the hour. When she finally reached him, he turned back to face the railing while she stood close to his side.

"I saw you walking from my window. I know you were upset earlier but what are you doing out here now? It's getting late." She questioned rapidly.

Sasuke was surprised that she didn't even take a breath. His only answer to her line of questioning was a half-assed shrug of his shoulders but that didn't bother her. After three years it was likely that she had grown accustomed to his nonanswers. She scooted closer until their sides pressed against each other and looped her arm through his.

"It's really cold here." She said with a clatter of her teeth for emphasis. "But it's beautiful. Everything looks like it's right out of a storybook."

Sasuke frowned. It _was_ cold here. It was even colder tonight than it was yesterday when they arrived. Snow was falling heavily around the estate and in some corners, one could feel the draft coming in through the walls. Hinata got cold extremely easily. What if she started shivering in the middle of the night? He glanced back at her cottage, lights off and smoke no longer piping out from the chimney. The silly Hyuuga had probably forgotten to restart the embers and add more kindling for the night.

"It's been interesting to be here with everyone! I didn't even know you were such good friends with the Hokage's son. Did you know he and Ino were together?" Sakura continued with a smile on her lips. "She's pregnant to boot but I'm not so sure Ino's ready for the responsibility to be a mother. She's always been more of a free spirit. I see her using hemp diapers and all natural butt cream."

'Pregnant.' Sasuke thought. 'Hinata is pregnant with my child. _Our child._ '

Was she still crying alone in her bedroom? After being sick for so long the added stress of whatever the hell was bothering her couldn't be good for her or their baby. That in addition to the rapidly dropping temperature pushed his frustration to the side and drew him away from the icy rotunda railing. Hinata was unlikely to get out of bed and she would sit and stubbornly suffer through the cold till morning. He tried to walk away but Sakura's hand on his arm reminded him that he was not alone. She looked up at him sheepishly with what could be considered a blush but more than likely due to the frigid wind whipping around them.

"If you still want to stay up, how about coming back to my cottage? It's warm there and...we could talk and stuff." She said, a nervous edge to her voice.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and gently removed her hand from his arm. He wasn't quite sure what she was getting at but he didn't like where it was going. He needed to get back to that stubborn woman who had kicked him out.

"I...I just-"

"Another time Sakura." Sasuke said smoothly and respectfully nodded his head to indicate his departure.

"Sure...another time."

He left her there in the rotunda and hurried through the walkway back to Hinata's cottage. To his relief and disdain, the front door was still unlocked. That woman should have locked the door behind him but it was of little consequence now that he had returned. He threw off his coat and made his way back to the bedroom. Inside of the room, Hinata laid like a small lump in the middle of the bed with the comforter pulled over her head. The faint sound of her crying could be heard through the thick material. With a shake of his head, he went to the fireplace and poked at the dying embers to bring them back to life. He added some more wood and blew on the fire until it grew large enough to stand on its own. He then went to the bed and crawled under the covers to where Hinata was taking refuge. Upon realizing that he was back she pushed him away and attempt to resurface from the blankets but he held her in place. She pushed and she pushed but she was no match for his strength.

"You're a liar." She said weakly through her tears.

"I have never lied to you." He replied but that was of little comfort to her.

"Sakura says that you two kissed." She whimpered causing Sasuke to finally release her and sit upright on the bed. "It's true isn't it?"

"No that's ridiculous." He said staring down at her puffy pale eyes. "Sakura and I have never and will never kiss."

"Then why would she say that?"

"I don't know." He huffed and moved so that he hovered over her, entrapping her on all sides so that the only thing she could see was him. "Hinata. Let's get this straight. I have had a target on my back since I first hit puberty. Women have thrown themselves at me shamelessly and I've had my share of them. Since the day I met you I have not been with another woman nor will I ever have the desire to since you have consumed all of my affection. As I've said before, I have not lied to you. I have never tied myself to another person in the way I have to you."

"Sasuke-" she whimpered, more tears welling up in her eyes. He moved off of her and fell back onto the bed.

"Whatever you were told, whatever Sakura might have said, was a lie. I will handle it in the morning. However, never doubt my loyalty Hinata."

He pulled her in close to his chest, her tears quickly dampening his shirt and a muffled apology escaping her trembling lips. They remained like that even after her shoulders stopped shaking and her eyes ran dry. Her breathing evened out and eventually, the small woman allowed sleep to overtake her. When the sound of her soft snores reached his ears he allowed his own heavy eyelids to close.

 **…..**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 8:15 am**

 **Winter Estate- Cottage 8**

 **...**

Light poured into the bedroom of the cottage but it was not the thing that woke him up. The stifling cold had finally shaken him awake to the fact that the bed was empty and the remnants of the fire were dying. He cracked open his eyes slightly to look at the fireplace on the opposite wall. The logs still had a few sparks going but it was not enough to warm the room. He turned to where Hinata had once lain to find a note in her signature messy handwriting.

 _Making breakfast for a lazy Uchiha_

How dare she use his words against him? He smirked and rolled out of the bed. The prospect of breakfast made by Hinata was more than enough to get him up and moving. As he made his way to the bathroom his thoughts trailed back to the events of last night. A chill ran down his spine as he prepared the shower and hopped in. He and Sakura had never had the kind of relationship that would warrant her ever telling anyone that they had kissed. Sure she was much more comfortable around him than any of his previous secretaries but he'd chalked that up to the fact that she had outlasted all of them by leaps and bounds. She kept other women at bay for the most part but that did not mean that she had a claim on him. Whatever Hinata might have inferred from Sakura's statement did not sit well with him. He did not appreciate Sakura sowing doubt between himself and the Hyuuga. With a frown, he finished his shower and dried off. Sakura had her uses but even that only went so far. He wouldn't allow her to meddle in his personal relationships.

Quickly he changed his clothes and made it out the door. Before he could even think about heading up to the main house for the promised reward of food and dealing with his secretary he spotted Hanabi who was holding onto the icy walkway railings for dear life. She looked like a deer learning to walk for the first time although this was a bit riskier since in her hands she held a pair of ice skates with their strings tied together, blades slicing through the air with each of her movements. Just as she was about to bust her ass on a particularly slippery patch, he caught her by her underarms and hefted the petite young woman upright. Hanabi let out a loud sigh of relief, embellishing her gratefulness with a hand over her heart.

"Whew!" She said playfully. "Whatever would I do without lord asshole here to save me!"

"Ha, ha. "Sasuke replied dryly as he let the bratty teenager go. "Shouldn't you be heading to the main house?"

Hanabi's upper lip curled and she glared in the direction that she was supposed to be going.

"I'm not going anywhere near there. I don't feel like throwing up." She said and pushed past him towards the back steps of the walkway.

Sasuke watched her march through the snow towards the woods before looking back up at the main house of the estate. The smoke piping through the chimney foretold warmth and food while the sole Hyuuga marching towards the line of trees only spelled trouble. He shook his head and turned away from his intended path to follow the Hyuuga into the forest.

 **….**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 8:15 am**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

The kitchen was filled with the sound of bacon sizzling on the stove and it savory aroma made her mouth water. Already there were a few pieces ready on a napkin next to her that she kept pilfering from. She needed to stop or there wouldn't be any left for the others when they woke up. With a guilty smile, she reached for another piece of bacon and broke off a piece to popped into her mouth.

"Something smells good." A smooth voice said from the doorway.

Hinata jumped at the sound of it and turned around quickly. Gaara smiled at her, an odd sight on his face but not unwelcome. It was strange seeing him out of his usual suit attire but the maroon sweater and dark jeans ensemble looked nice. He certainly was a handsome man and she could see why Matsuri was in love with him. The thought of the word 'love' snapped her from her assessment of Gaara's appearance and a feeling of guilt that could not be attributed to stealing bacon started to creep in. Gaara deserved to be with someone that loved him like Matsuri. That was something she herself just couldn't do for him. As the man approached, she absently placed a hand over her still flat stomach, loving Gaara was something she would _never_ be able to do. He leaned down to kiss her but she turned her face so that he only caught her cheek.

"Good morning." She said softly and turned back around to remove the bacon that was still sizzling on the stove.

"Morning." He said and leaned against the counter beside her. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her cook with curious green eyes. "I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"Mmm." She said with a small smile. "I love cooking."

"You will have to teach me when we get to Suna."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and turned the stove's gas off. She took the hot pan and placed into the sink filled with soapy water, the metal hissed as soon as it touched the water.

"Actually Gaara." She started, keeping her voice as evenly as possible. "I'd love to teach you but I can't go with you to Suna."

"And why is that?"

She turned from the sink to look up at him. She wanted him to understand fully why she had to reject him. So many times she'd tried and each time she'd been brushed off. Gaara might not take no for an answer but this time he'd have to accept it.

"Thank you so much for coming all the way out here. I'm sure Sakura asking you to come here was for my sake and...I'm happy you came. I know you feel differently than I do and I think you should be with someone who can reciprocate your feelings."

"Hinata." He said calmly, unfazed by her words. "I have told you before that I do not expect you to fall in love with me. If you do one day that would be...nice."

"Gaara-"

"This arrangement benefits the needs of both of us-"

"No."

Gaara looked down at her, surprised that she'd actually interrupted him. She took one of his hands into both of hers and held onto it tightly with a small smile on her face.

"Do you remember what I said about love?" She said softly as she looked up into his confused green eyes. Slowly she could see him remember their conversation from a few weeks ago, one that he had brushed to the side as being inconsequential.

"You are in love with someone." He said, his voice tight but he didn't pull his hand away from her grasp. "And it's not with me."

"You don't love me either." She replied softly and the edges of his lips imperceptibly twitched.

"No. I suppose I do not."

"I'm sorry to tell you like this." She said and genuinely she was.

If she'd never met Sasuke she could have grown to care for the man whose hand she held between her own. If their companies had never merged her heart wouldn't have become so selfish. Maybe then she could have pushed herself into making a life in Suna with him. Yet, as she focused on the feel of his hand, she knew that would never be the case. Somehow she just knew that at some point in their lives, she and the Uchiha would have crossed paths and their love would eclipse anything she would have tried to build with another. Gaara's hand slipped from between the two of hers but he held out his right hand for her to shake. A true businessman through and through. She bit back a giggle and shook his hand firmly.

"I can only infer who I lost your affections to." The redhead said with a sigh and Hinata nodded her head. "When you defended him at the office I couldn't help but wonder what made him so special that someone like you would stick up for him. That you would put your neck out for him. I couldn't imagine him doing that for anyone else. I do not see him caring for anyone else."

Hinata smiled and pressed a hand affectionately to her stomach.

"You'd be surprised."

 **…..**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 8:37 pm**

 **Winter Estate Forest**

 **...**

"You don't even know how to ice skate." Sasuke grumbled as Hanabi used him as a crutch to put herself onto the ice.

"You don't know what I can and can't do." She snapped back but the statement had no bite since her words were just as wobbly as her feet. "I know how to roller skate this isn't much different."

When the blades of her skates touched the ice, he extended his arms and allowed her to hold onto his forearms until she found her balance. She smiled broadly when she was able to let him go and stand upright on her own.

"Ha!" She said cockily. "Look at that Uchiha!"

Her joy was short lived when she took a step and immediately landed on her butt. Sasuke tried his best not to laugh but in the end, he couldn't hold it in. Hanabi glared at him as she rubbed her butt but quickly got back up on her feet.

"Laugh it up asshole but you'll be shocked soon enough!" She said sticking out her tongue.

Shakily she turned away from him with her arms outstretched as she tried to move out towards the center of the frozen lake. She wasn't very good at walking on hardwood floors, he wasn't quite sure why the girl had decided she would be any better on ice. He learned over the past couple of months that if Hinata was stubborn her little sister was like talking to a brick wall. Hinata could be persuaded with reason. Hanabi had to get her ass kicked. Sometimes he wondered how the two girls had even come from the same family. He watched as the girl actually make it all the way to the middle of the lake before falling again, mildly impressed that she'd even made it that far. She too seemed surprised and looked over her shoulder to call out to him.

"Shocked yet?!" She yelled back.

The sound of her voice reverberated through the empty air and the wind carried her voice so that it echoed. The sound of which surprised her and caused her to lose her balance and fall again. This time when she fell she held her hands out to stop herself but her weight landed on the ice wrong. She cried out as her wrist twisted grotesquely under her weight. Hanabi could take a lot of pain but the sound of her crying out struck a cord. He took a step closer to ice, ready to assist the girl as soon as she returned. He could already see Itachi's disapproval at letting harm come to Hanabi. Not to mention how upset Hinata would be as well. Neji would surely murder him. Gingerly she picked herself back up again, cradling her awkwardly bent left hand to her chest.

"Fuck that hurts!" She hissed as she tried to slowly move forward.

She fell again and this time the sound of ice cracking accompanied the fall. Her right leg fell sharply through the ice when she tried to pick herself back. Sasuke was unsure of what happened next. He didn't register the fact that he was removing his own coat as ran towards Hanabi. He never felt the cold against his more exposed body as he watched her struggle to pull her leg out of the ice. When he fell trying to get to her he caused the ice to crack once again but all he could hear were Hanabi's panicked cries for help. His mouth filled with the coppery taste of his own blood as he accidentally bit his own tongue when he fell trying to stand up again. It was a taste he hadn't had in his mouth in years.

Adrenaline now rushing through his veins, he picked himself back up and ran as fast as he could across the slippery surface to where she was struggling in the water. Her heavy coat weighed her down the more she floundered about and he just couldn't get to her fast enough. The sound of his own breathing was heavy in his ears as he reached the opening she had fallen through. Ice cracked underneath his feet, hairline fractures that would no doubt flourish into fissures with the wrong move. His heart stopped when he realized that he couldn't see anything beneath the murky depths of the lake. There were no ripples, no bubbles to signal where she'd gone. Hanabi Hyuuga had been swallowed whole by the Winter Estate's frozen lake and it would not give her up easily. That was no matter. Nothing in his life had ever come easily anyway. Without a second thought, Sasuke took a deep breath, the frigid air biting at his lungs, and plunged head first into the darkness.

 **To be continued...**


	30. Frozen

**CCNote: IMPORTANT! I can't decide on whether to do a short sequel or only an epilogue for this story. Which would y'all prefer? Let me know in the review section.**

 _ **To everyone who has reviewed so far:**_ **I love each and every one of you guys! This story was made possible because of your patience and encouragement. Thank you so much for your continued support.**

 **Anywho I had to do some interesting research for this chapter. I've bent reality a bit but I think it turned out nicely. Excuse all typos I've missed. I don't have a beta. As always I'll go make and make corrections. Enjoy and please leave a review!**

 **Frozen**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 8:45 am**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

"This will not be an easy concession on the part of my shareholders." Gaara said as she resumed making breakfast for the other guests.

Hinata bit her bottom lip. She'd poured over the pages of their arrangement and of course, there were strings attached to both sides. There was a sizeable amount that would need to be given over in the case that either party pulled out. Her father certainly wasn't going to be on board with having to pay for her selfishness.

"Hinata!" The panicked voice of her cousin called out from the living room, the backdoor slamming behind him. "Hinata!"

She immediately turned off the stove and wiped her hands off on the edge of her white apron. Neji was the calm, mostly level-headed, one in their family. Not once in all of the years that they'd lived together had she ever heard this level of concern in his voice. Quickly she turned around to head into the living room and he met her halfway into the room. Fresh snow had fallen onto his long brown hair, cheeks red from the cold. Behind him Tenten entered the room along with Itachi who's face was made of stone.

"He's not in Hinata's cottage either." The Uchiha said tensely and Neji's back stiffened. Hinata looked between Neji, Tenten, and Itachi, utterly confused as to what was going on.

"Neji..." She asked as Gaara walked into the living room to check what was going on. "Who are you looking for?"

"Did you happen to see Sasuke or Hanabi at any point this morning?" He replied.

Hinata blushed and cut her eyes to where Gaara was standing awkwardly. She'd only just informed him that her heart belonged to another. While he seemed to take the news in stride she knew it had to be uncomfortable to know that she'd spent the night with Sasuke. She looked away from Gaara and back to her frantic cousin.

"Sasuke was asleep when I left. He should be waking up soon. Why?"

"Dammit." Neji cursed. "Tenten wake the others and tell them to meet me in the courtyard. We need to find them before something bad happens."

Tenten gave him a curt nod and quickly left to do as she'd been told.

"Whats going on?" Hinata asked, worry beginning to seep into her heart.

"Hanabi is missing." Itachi said gravely. "I went to check on her this morning but she wasn't in her cottage. She isn't anywhere in the immediate vicinity and Sasuke is also missing."

"Where could they have gone? There's nothing out here but snow."

"Exactly." Neji said, his brow furrowing. "There's going to be a storm at some point today. We aren't supposed to leave until tonight but I thought we'd leave early while the roads were still clear. We need to find them and soon."

 **….**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 8:50 am**

 **Winter Estate Forest**

 **...**

 _"C'mon brat." He teased dryly as she circled around him. "Don't tell me you're scared now."_

 _He'd already incapacitated her twice so it wouldn't surprise him if she'd become wary of his treatment. Hanabi's lips pursed into a tight line as she lunged forward to throw a punch, extending her body as much as she could to reach his jaw. Sasuke frowned and easily sidestepped the move. She stumbled forward but he didn't give her a chance to regain her balance. Instead, he lifted his knee and pivoted so that he hit her in her side. She went down onto the mats with a hard thud._

 _"You're slow."_

 _Just like that Halloween night when he'd first witnessed her fight, Hanabi was back up on her feet. She wiped some of her sweat from under her chin with the back of her hand, unfazed by the blow she'd just received. Again she circled him to find an opening and once more she ended up on her back. After her fifth time getting back up he could see the anger and pent-up frustration in her eyes from all of her unsuccessful attempts. Looking at her was like looking in a mirror at his own angsty teenage self. With a grunt, he caught her arm as she tried to hit him again and twisted it around her back. She cried out not from the uncomfortable position but from being foiled once more._

 _" You are an angry little girl." He teased but he didn't release her from his hold. "Try to get out on your own."_

 _Hanabi tried to wiggle out of his grip but that only made him hold tighter. When she unsuccessfully tried to kick him in a rather sensitive area, he let go of her wrist and swept her feet out from under her. She landed flat on her back and all of the air escaped from her lungs. He crouched down next to her, resting his weight on his haunches as she tried to regain her breath. She was sweating profusely as her chest heaved up and down but while her body was no doubt near the point of exhaustion her eyes were still bright. And angry. Very angry. He liked it._

 _"Had enough yet?" He taunted which caused her eyes to narrow at him._

 _Slowly she rolled onto her stomach and lifted herself up slightly with her forearms. He expected her to begrudgingly admit defeat but instead, she got up again on shaky feet. She raised her hands into fists, assuming her regular fighting position once more._

 _"Stand up asshole. I can take a lot more than that."_

… His skin felt as though it was on fire. A thousand tiny needles pricked his skin at once, the intensity of which mounted the longer he was in the water. The water around him was pitch black and felt thick as his fingers struggled to keep their grip on the Hyuuga's coat. Hanabi was not a heavy girl by any stretch of the imagination but her coat was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because without it he wouldn't have been able to grab her but with it on it made it increasingly hard to return to the surface. His lungs protested their lack of air but he refused to focus on it. He to push a little further. Only for a little longer. When this was over he was going to demand that the Hyuugas put a leash on this troublesome girl.

Light began to pierce through the thick murky water, driving him to push forward. This godforsaken lake would not be the death of him and he certainly wasn't going to leave empty-handed. With one final push, Sasuke broke through to the surface, icy wind immediately hitting his face. He took in a deep breath, catching a mouthful of water in the process. He spat it out and pulled Hanabi up by her hood to the surface as well. When her head broke the water, she gasped and sputtered with lungs barely able to handle the new influx of air. It was no doubt uncomfortable for her but as long as she was breathing that was a good sign.

An additional rush of adrenaline pumped through his veins as he hooked an arm around her chest and pushed aside fragmented sheets of ice with his free hand. The ice burned his wet skin and his teeth were chattering together uncontrollably. Once he finally reached a shallow enough area of the lake, he pulled Hanbabi up into his arms and walked through the water and up to the bank. A sharp gust of wind racked his body causing him to bite down hard on his stiff bottom lip. Blood rushed to the surface but he couldn't feel it. Slowly but surely the water around his waist receded until finally, he'd reached the snow bank. He wanted to stop and rest, the main house wasn't very far away but his muscles were beginning to seize up. He could feel Hanabi shivering against him, the sound of her teeth rattling against each other in his ears. For her sake, he had to keep going. He readjusted the girl so that he could carry her fully with both arms and took a step forward, the snow crunching loudly underneath his weight. He just had to take another step. Just one more.

"I-I-I-I'm s-s-sorry." Hanabi stuttered through trembling lips that were quickly turning blue.

"D-don't apologize, brat." He said and kept pressing forward.

She had nothing to apologize for. There was no way she could have known that the ice wasn't thick enough to skate on. If anything he'd made matters worse by stepping onto the thin ice and adding his additional weight. He should have just talked her through getting her leg out instead of instinctively charging forward. The old him would have done just that but now...now things were different. When she cried out all he could think about was how hurt Hinata would be. How she would likely cry out in a similar way over the loss of her sister. A sister that was brash and obstinate but one that he would do anything to protect. He thought of that fire in her eyes extinguishing and despite how much he claimed she annoyed him he refused to let her go.

 **….**

 **Sunday December 26 2017 9:20pm**

 **Winter Estate Forest**

 **...**

"Wait!" Gaara shouted after her. "Hinata wait!"

The woman in question refused to listen as she frantically rushed down the path from the walkways and towards the line of barren trees. There was no time to waste. How could Gaara even suggest such a thing as to wait? Her sister was out here lost. Sasuke was lost. She prayed that they were still together and hadn't been separated. She nimbly avoided the gnarled roots that were hidden in the snow while Gaara struggled to keep up with her. Running through the forest was something she'd done many times as a child. She knew each tree like the back of her hand. Her father had taught her the names of each one as her mother followed behind him silently observing. Hinata herself had fallen so many times on her own that even though she hadn't been on the Estate grounds in years her feet still knew where to go.

Hanabi was a curious girl and had no doubt done some investigating of the Winter Estate that had largely been abandoned. She would have found during her snooping about that there was a lake and would want to check it out with her own eyes. It was just a hunch, a strong one, but still only a guess. Behind her, she heard Gaara's heavy feet cracking fallen debris as he tried to follow her through the trees. She knew it was much more polite to wait on him but the restless feeling in her bones would not allow her to. The trees began to thin out more and she could see glimpses of the lake through the gaps. She couldn't hear any voices or movement other than what she was creating and she wasn't quite sure if that was a good or a bad thing. She emerged from the tree line to an eerily silent scene.

"Sasuke!" She called out. "Hanabi!"

Her voice echoed across the distance but there was no response. She called again and was once more met with the sound of her own voice. From her vantage point, the tree line was slightly elevated above the lake giving her the ability to see the entire frozen structure. It was perfect, save for the fact that a small portion of it looks as though it'd been smashed with a hammer. Black water peeked through the cracks but largely remained still. Carefully she made her way down to the edge of the snow bank where the damage was to get a better look. Above her head, a few fat flakes of snow began to fall which signaled the impending storm they need to escape.

"Hinata!" Gaara called from the line of trees. "They're not here. We need to head back!"

Hinata turned back to look at him. Clearly, he was right. They were the only ones here at the lake. Perhaps the others had better success with trying to find them. She took one last glance at the lake but when she moved to head back, her foot brushed against something unfamiliar. It was a soft black mass partially covered with freshly fallen snow but it was obvious that it didn't belong there. The Hyuuga crouched down and unearthed the material from the snow, carefully turning it this way and that. The smell it gave off was sharper as it was carried by the cold wind. The usual comfort wrought from the scent now filled her with an even greater sense of panic.

"No." She whispered and immediately plunged her hands into the pockets.

Inside she found his wallet, keys, and phone. There was no mistake. This was Sasuke's coat. Her knees buckled under her, causing her to fall into the snow at the water's edge. The wind pushed ripples into the exposed black water of the frozen lake, dragging bits of white snow into its depths. Her fingertips tingled and her mind went blank. This couldn't be happening. No. No. They couldn't be gone. This can't be where they died. The last thing she heard was the sound of crunching snow before everything went black.

 **….**

 **Sunday, December 26, 2017, 9:21 am**

 **Winter Estate Forest**

 **...**

"Sasuke!" A faint voice called off into the distance.

Sasuke shook his head. His mind of making him hear things.

"Hanabi!"

The Uchiha kept pressing forward. He couldn't stop. Stopping meant his limps seizing up worse than they already were. Hanabi's breathing was becoming more erratic with every step and her skin was turning blue. He could only imagine that he wasn't much better off. The voices kept calling, closer and closer with each passing moment, and it only solidified the fact that he had to be hallucinating. Regardless of the tricks his mind was trying to play on him, he kept pressing forward. Faintly, he could smell the smoke of the main house mixing in the air. He changed his course slightly in that direction. His clothing had frozen to his body from the lake water he was drenched in and it was starting to become more difficult to breathe. The smell of smoke was becoming stronger, just a few more steps. He looked down at Hanabi who was shivering in his arms. Her tears had frozen on her eyelashes and cheeks, blue lips marked by red where she'd bitten into them. She wasn't going to last long at the pace he was going but he couldn't go any faster. The snow crunched loudly under his feet and so he concentrated on that instead of the gnawing panic that was seeping into his bones. One foot in front of the other. Just one more step.

"Sasuke!" A voice called only this time it was much closer.

He didn't pay it any mind just like before. It was only a hallucination. If he stopped he wouldn't be able to continue. He had to keep going. Just one more step. The sound of crunching grew louder and so did the voice calling his name. He sucked in a shaky breath, the cold must be making him crazy. Just one more step.

"You found them! Sasuke! Sasuke stop!"

Before he knew it his older brother was in front of him, blocking out everything else. He crashed into his arms causing Hanabi to let out a small squeak of protest. No doubt it was extremely painful for her to be hit in such a way. Itachi placed his hands on his shoulders to steady him but didn't waste any time with words. Carefully his brother lifted Hanabi from his frozen arms and held her close to his chest. With her weight gone from his arms, he almost fell to his knees but a blonde blur was able to catch him in the nick of time. Naruto wrapped an arm around his own waist and pulled the Uchiha's arm around his own neck. Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath at the pain of his limb being forcibly moved. Naruto noticed his pain but didn't say anything about that moment of weakness. For that Sasuke was grateful.

"Come on bastard." The blonde said as he took a step forward. "Hinata was making breakfast before you disappeared."

Inwardly he shivered at the mention of her name. She was there in the main house. Waiting for him. His eyes felt heavy as he put one foot in front of the other. Each time he blinked it was becoming more difficult to open his eyes again. He couldn't feel the wind on his skin nor the fat snowflakes that were beginning to fall from the sky. His muscles were stiffer with each step Naruto took.

"Chi." Hanabi whimpered as Itachi gently jostled her in his arms.

"You have to stay awake for me Hana." He said gently. "We're almost there."

 _Almost there._ Sasuke could see the trees beginning to line out and catch glimpses of the cottages on the edge of the Winter Estate. The smell of smoke mixing with the cold air was sharper. Naruto shifted his grip so that he could take on more of his dead weight.

"What has Hinata been feeding you? You're so fat." Naruto grunted as he pulled the Uchiha along the slight incline up to the walkways.

Sasuke wanted to retort but he couldn't move his lips. He settled for mentally cursing the blonde instead. Just as they reached the first step of the walkway, he could hear the thunderous sound of footsteps racing towards them. He lifted his head up slightly to see Neji and Tenten racing from the main house to meet them. Itachi's voice bellowed out to them, shaking snow loose from the railings.

"Call an ambulance!"

 **….**

 **Sunday December 26 2017 9:46 am**

 **Winter Estate- Main Building**

 **...**

When her eyes reopened she was surrounded by Sasuke's smell and her body bouncing up and down. The columns of the frozen walkway breezed past them as she was carried on Gaara's back up the path. Sasuke's coat had been thrown over her body, enveloping her senses into a false sense of security but now reality came rushing back to her. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes but she couldn't cry. Like the day she found out her mother died, she couldn't cry. She couldn't feel anything. Only emptiness laid before her and it threatened to swallow her whole. Hanabi...Sasuke...

The sliding glass doors of the main house forcefully swung open and more hands than she could count helped her dismount from Gaara's back. Voices were shouting all around her but she couldn't decipher what they were saying, they all melded together into a dull buzzing noise in her ears. Unblinkingly she sank to her knees on the hardwood floor. Feet shuffled around her, the sound of footsteps running up and down the halls. Panicked voices rushing from room to room. Gaara crouched down in front of her and lifted her face with his hands. His lips were moving but no sound was coming out. He shook her shoulders slightly and spoke more forcefully but she couldn't register anything he said. Vaguely she realized that she'd gone into shock and if she wasn't careful she was likely to faint again. She didn't care. Everything was gone. Forcefully Gaara picked her up from the floor and brought her closer to the fire in the living room. Through the buzz, she could hear crying. Very distinct sobs that mirrored her own distress but the sound wasn't coming from her lips. The sound grew louder as they got closer to the living room and drowned out all other activity. Slowly she turned her head to see who was the one crying and was greeted with Sakura sobbing over a lump of blankets on the couch. Why was Sakura crying? Gaara stepped closer to lump on the couch and her breath caught in her throat.

'He's alive!' She thought. 'Oh God, he's alive!'

As soon as Gaara set her down on her own two feet she took a hesitant step towards the pair on the couch. Sakura looked up from the couch at her, green eyes overwrought with tears and cheeks blotchy. The woman's bottom lip quivered as Hinata got closer and she reached out to grab her hand. Absently she noted that Sakura's hand was shaking. Sasuke's face was the only thing visible as his entire body had been wrapped in layers of fur and blankets. The mountain of materials rose and fell slightly with each shaky breath he took, filling up the hole of emptiness that had emerged within her. His eyes cracked open as though he could sense her standing over him and his cracked lips parted.

"Hinata." He croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She sank to her knees by his head and placed her free hand over where his heart would be. His face was gray and his lips were bleeding but he'd never looked better in his life. He was alive. That was all that mattered. If he was alive she knew that Hanabi was okay. Sasuke would not come back without her. She laid her head against his side. He was alive. He was alive. The tears that wouldn't come earlier finally managed to escape and trailed silently down her cheeks. A permanent smile etched its way onto her lips. He was alive. All at once the world around her resumed once more. Voices shouted to clear the way as a stretcher was brought in by men whose faces she'd never be able to recall. They hoisted Sasuke from the couch and onto the stretcher, strapping his wrapped body flat with black buckles so that he wouldn't fall. Once Sasuke was secure, they wheeled him quickly out of the house and towards the front where there were two ambulances parked. Itachi climbed into the one Sasuke was being lifted into while Neji wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards the one that likely carried Hanabi. Her cousin set her down next to her unconscious sister before hopping out of the emergency vehicle himself.

"I'll see you at the hospital!" He shouted as the medical personnel piled into the car. "Don't take your eyes off of her!"

Hinata nodded with her lips pursed in a tight line. The doors to the ambulance closed with a metallic clang and the ringing of medical devices bounced off the wall. As they sped down the winding mountain path, she carefully watched as a red-headed woman hooked a warmed I.V. into Hanabi's veins on her arm while a man checked her vitals. His brow creased when he noticed the odd way her wrist was bent.

"She's lucky to be alive." He said solemnly as he worked to take note of the rest of her body. "If she'd been alone there's no way she would have been able to get out on her own."

Hinata pressed her lips together as she silently thanked Sasuke in her mind. Her sister had a lot of explaining to do when she woke up but she was alive. The little troublemaker was breathing and she was going to be fine. Hanabi's puffy eyes cracked open a bit and Hinata pressed a hand to her forehead.

 **….**

 **Monday, December 27, 2017, 4:21 p.m.**

 **Numazu Mountain Hospital**

 **...**

"Bleh!" Hanabi pouted as she pushed away the steaming bowl the hospital had given her. "I'm not eating that!"

"Hanabi you have to." Hinata insisted as she pushed the bowl back. "The hospital says it's the only thing your body can handle right now."

"That stuff is gonna kill me." She retorted with her eyes squeezed shut and her arms crossed over her chest, the papery white hospital gown crinkling at the movement.

Hinata sighed as she looked at the contents of the bowl. It was a congealed, off-white...something. She wasn't quite sure what to call it but it was warm and the nurses had said Hanabi needed to eat it. Hanabi cracked open a mischevious eye to see if she'd relented in her quest to make her eat. Unfortunately for Hanabi, she hadn't. She grabbed the spoon out of the bowl and shoved it into the obstinate girl's mouth. She looked as though she wanted to spit it back out but Hinata's glare was a bit too much to defy. The scary gaze only subsided when she finally swallowed, although that had been done with much difficulty. Hinata patted her sister's knees through the white furry blanket on her bed and the girl only stuck her tongue out at the gesture.

"You are the worst Hina!" Hanabi complained but Hinata only smiled and ruffled her hair.

"It's not so bad."

"What's not so bad?" A smooth voice playfully asked from the doorway.

The sisters looked up to see Itachi wheeling a grumpy looking Sasuke into the small room. Hanabi's face immediately lit up as she pointed an accusatory finger in Hinata's direction.

"Chi! Hinata is trying to kill me!" She pouted and showed him the bowl full of a substance being passed off as food. "See!"

Itachi pushed Sasuke's chair next to the bed and took the bowl from the teen's hands. Curiously he mixed the substance around with Hanabi's spoon, mildly entertained by how thick it was. He raised the spoon to his lips and took a bite. Hinata grimaced as the Uchiha's face turned pale and he had the same trouble swallowing as Hanabi had. Maybe it _was_ that bad. While Hanabi and Itachi were distracted by the 'food' she slipped off the edge of the bed and took a few short steps towards Sasuke. The raven was sulking in his chair, an almost visible storm cloud hung over his head. She crouched down in front of him, placing her hands on his knees which were covered by one of the many furry blankets he'd arrived in.

"He won't let me out of this chair." He grumbled under his breath as she shot daggers at his brother's back.

"There's nothing wrong with your legs right?" Hinata whispered and Sasuke nodded.

"Watch this." He said and started to lift himself out of the chair.

Itachi immediately turned his head and shot him an angry glare.

"What are you doing?" Itachi growled and Sasuke sank back into his chair.

"Nothing." He grumbled and Hinata couldn't help but laugh.

Of course, Sasuke didn't appreciate her laughing at his expense but the way he was sulking didn't help quell her humor. She was much too happy at the moment to do anything more than smile they'd arrived at the small rural hospital, the medical team had immediately jumped into action to warming Sasuke and Hanabi's bodies safely. Being that this hospital was in the mountains it was used to handling patients with all varying degrees of hyperthermia. Sasuke had only needed warm salt water injected into his veins while Hanabi had required her blood to be warmed. They were both lucky in that none of their fingers and toes had to be removed.

She bit her bottom lip as she recalled how worried she'd been for both of them yesterday and now here they were acting as though they hadn't had a near-death experience. Hanabi had apologized for her reckless but somehow Hinata knew that this wasn't going to be the end of the kind of trouble her sister could cause. Mischief was in her blood. Sasuke was probably right about his suggestion to put a leash on her. However, as she listened to her sister laugh at something Itachi said she knew that they would never be able to tie her down. Her wrist being in a cast would temper her for a time but Hanabi would surely find something else to get into. She wouldn't be the same Hanabi if she didn't. As long as Hanabi was happy that was all that mattered but she would be keeping a closer eye on her from now on.

"Hinata?" Sasuke asked, placing his hand over one of hers that was resting on his knee.

Hinata smiled and intertwined their fingers together. His fingers were warm now and no longer shaking like they had throughout the night. She glanced at the small table near Hanabi's bed. On top of it was a thin folder and inside were the results of the pregnancy test she'd taken just that morning. The doctor had taken her blood and had determined quite quickly that she was very much pregnant at nearly two months along. That was much further along than even she had anticipated and the rural doctor had admonished her for not noticing sooner. She hadn't been eating properly and all of the stress she'd been under was not good. For the most part, she was healthy but she'd have to have further tests done when they returned to Konoha. She'd taken everything the doctor said in stride, even the criticism. She was too excited at the confirmation of the child inside of her.

The Hyuuga opened her mouth to tell him the news but was cut off by a stampede of voices just down the hall. She stood up as the voices came closer, the sound of her father's voice the most distinct among them. Sasuke squeezed her hand before letting it go just as the head of her clan barged into the hospital room with the rural staff trailing behind him and Neji close by. His usually perfectly kept brown hair was wild around his shoulders and his eyes were wide. Hinata could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen her father not wearing a suit and all of those had been before Hanabi was born. Witnessing him now in a rumpled, albeit expensive, winter coat and jeans was akin to witnessing a dog walk on its hind legs. His eyes scanned the room and he made quick work of the distance between them. Hiashi grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards Hanabi's bed.

"Get away from her Uchiha." He hissed as he pushed Itachi away from his youngest's bedside.

"Father? What are you doing here?" Hanabi asked but Hiashi didn't reply.

He looked at all of the wires connected to the teen and his face turned red. Hinata let out a small squeak of pain as his grip tighten around her wrist.

"We're leaving." Hiashi growled. "Now."

"Mr. Hyuuga." Itachi spoke up. "Hanabi can't just leave. She is unable to be discharged until tomorrow."

"This is something that is of no concern to you Uchiha." Hiashi spat and Hinata stepped in between the two of them.

"He's right father. " she said, wincing as he gripped her wrist even tighter. "Hanabi can't leave yet. She'll get sick."

"And who's fault is that?" He snapped sharply and she winced at his tone. "If you weren't off gallivanting in the mountains with the Uchiha she wouldn't be sitting here in a hospital bed right now. How selfish can you be to put your sister's life at risk like this? You deliberately disobeyed me and look what happened-"

"Itachi? Sasuke?" A soft voice called from the door. "Oh, my!"

Mikoto rushed into the room and immediately zoomed in on Sasuke in his wheelchair. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes as she noticed the state of her youngest son. Fugaku entered the crowded room behind her, his face hard as he appraised the situation.

"Sasuke!" She fretted, shaking hands touching him all over to make sure that he was still solid. "What happened?"

"I'm fine Mother." He said but Mikoto was not convinced.

"You're in a wheelchair!" She cried leading Sasuke to glare at his brother once more.

"Gather their things Neji." Hiashi commanded and began to pull Hinata from the room. Neji didn't move to do as he'd been requested, instead choosing to stand by Hanabi's side and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"No! We can't leave." Hinata said, firmly planting her feet on the floor to make it harder for him to take her away. "Hanabi and Sasuke both need to stay."

Hiashi stopped pulling her to turn around sharply, his eyes narrowed with anger.

"The Uchiha and what they are doing doesn't matter at this point. These people put your sister in harm's way. They are of no concern to us."

"That's not true!" Hanabi snapped from her hospital bed. "If it wasn't for Sasuke and Itachi I wouldn't be here! How could you say it's their fault?"

"They should have stopped you. Who the hell lets a teenager skate on untested ice?"

"I didn't know it was going to break father -"

"Father you're being unfair. Sasuke-"

"Enough both of you!"

Hiashi's voice thunder through the tiny hospital room-silencing both of his daughters. Mikoto stood up from her crouched position near Sasuke's wheelchair and positioned herself protectively in front of him.

"Hiashi." She said calmly. "There is a lot that happened that we don't have all the details about. The least we can do is hear what the children have to say."

" _Children_?" He hissed, rounding on Mikoto and dragging Hinata along in the process. "Your children are a menace. _This_ one here has single-handedly managed to ruin the marriage prospects of one of my daughters while almost killing the other-"

"Father-" Hinata started.

"Silence! Not another word out of you!" He snapped. "After this is over your will call Sabaku and rescind your rejection-"

"No. Father I can't do that."

"You can and you will!"

"No, she will not." Sasuke said, rising from his wheelchair.

The fur blanket that was covering his legs fell unceremoniously to the floor. He was a bit unsteady on his feet as he moved past his mother but his height still loomed a full head above Hiashi's. Sasuke intertwined his fingers in her free hand and pulled her closer to his side. She stumbled a bit since he father did not let go of her wrist.

"Get your hands off of my daughter." He growled.

"She is not marrying Sabaku."

"Sasuke let her go." Fugaku said, finally leaving his perch near the doorway. "This entire scene is unbecoming for an Uchiha to be involved in. Return to your room and we will leave in the morning."

"Unbecoming?" Hiashi sneered. "Your son is the one who created this mess. I should have known better than to merge my business with the likes of your cursed blood. Misfortune follows you all like the plague."

"You're one to talk."

"Shut up both of you!" Mikoto huffed with her small hands clenched into fists at her side.

Hiashi stared down his nose at the woman for a moment, his lip curling upward at her outburst. He pulled Hinata along as he headed towards the door but Sasuke kept her firmly at his side.

"Let her go Sasuke." Fugaku commanded but his son didn't listen.

"Hinata we are leaving. You will have no contact with the likes of this scum do you understand me?"

"No." Hinata said softly and the room grew cold as she finally snatched her wrist away from him. "Father, please. For once, please listen to me!"

Hiashi's red face lost a bit of its color as she stepped away from him to firmly take her place at Sasuke's side. It hurt to see him like this but he had to listen to her. If her father decided to disown her after this so be it but he had to listen. She looked up at Sasuke who's jaw was tight and back was tense. He wasn't going to let her go without a fight and she drew strength from that fact. She belonged to him.

"Father." She said with a small smile on her lips as she tore her eyes away from Sasuke and looked at him.

"Sasuke is mine and I am his. I can't marry someone else when I am carrying his child."

 _ **To Be Continued...**_


	31. Heir

**CCNote: Ginko-chan's Sugar Content called out a twist I planted in the story ALLLLL they way back in Chapter 10 "Dancing Queen". You'll know when you see it. A couple of you have already caught on. Hanabi and Hinata's relationship dynamic is drawn directly from episode 389, one of the few episodes I've ever gotten around to watching til the end. I recommend watching it because it's so sweet.**

 ** _To Alankrita:_ you, my dear, have made it all the way through the story. Just in time to meet up with me at the very end. I have enjoyed your thought process as you passed through the story and it's exactly the way I was hoping a reader would interact with my writing. Reading through your reactions has filled me with joy and I can't thank you enough for sticking it out.**

 **ANYWHO! On with the story! Enjoy and Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **Heir**

 **Monday, December 27, 2017, 4:47 pm**

 **Numazu Mountain Hospital**

 **...**

 _"Sasuke is mine and I am his. I can't marry someone else when I am carrying his child."_

Silence engulfed the hospital room as all of the Uchiha and Hyuuga stared at each other in shock. The medical staff that had followed Hiashi into the room earlier all snuck out as quietly as they could, sensing that _this_ was not a moment they needed to be a part of. Hiashi took another step back from Hinata and Sasuke as though her news had been a physical slap to the face. Mikoto was the first to recover although her eyes were still filled with concern.

"Are you certain?" The older woman asked and Hinata nodded her head.

"I got the hospital to confirm it this morning. I still need to take more tests when we return though."

"Of course. I'll set up an appointment with-"

"How could you let something like this happen?" Hiashi asked, his deep voice barely above a whisper. "You have allowed him to ruin you."

"You will not talk about my son that way!" Mikoto snapped back at Hiashi and protectively stood in front of her youngest once more.

"Uncle this is where I must stop you." Neji said stepping to stand by Hinata's side. "I have personally watched Hinata grow more since the merger than I have in my entire life. I have seen the employees come to respect her authority and her to have more confidence in herself. She is not the same Hinata and I believe Sasuke had something to do with it."

"Sasuke..." Hanabi spoke up from her bed, still shocked by the revelation of her sister's pregnancy. "Sasuke is many things but he has not ruined Hina. He's rude and arrogant and terrible at sharing things but he saved my life. He makes my sister smile and I haven't seen her do that in almost a month-"

"Enough Hanabi." Hiashi said firmly.

"If anything _you_ were the one that ruined her with that-"

"I said _ENOUGH!"_

Hanabi's mouth was open as though she wanted to say more but the look on her father's face kept her silent. Hiashi ran a frustrated hand through his brown hair, his angry gaze not once leaving Sasuke's defiant face.

"Are you satisfied now? Now that you've dragged her down to your level and ruined whatever future she might have had? You have nothing for her. This thing that you have impregnated her with will inherit nothing and they will have to live with the scandal that you've smeared on them."

"They will not be able to inherit my family's company but my child, _our child_ , will not want for anything." Sasuke hissed. "They will not need handouts from the Hyuuga."

"This is where you are wrong little brother." Itachi said calmly as he pulled out his phone. "You know that I have never wanted to take the role as the head of our clan. Father and I have been watching you the last few months and honestly, we would have preferred to tell you this in private. However, the situation calls for something different."

Itachi then handed Sasuke his phone. Hinata watched as Sasuke's face changed from one of defiance to confusion. He looked up from the phone with wide at his brother who had been waiting patiently for him to finish.

"Itachi-" he started but the older man held up a hand to stop whatever protest was on the tip of his tongue.

"Consider this the only time I've been selfish." Itachi said with a smile. "I'm sorry to put so much on your shoulders but you are wrong to say that your child will inherit nothing. They will have everything."

"I can't take your place."

"Its already been done. You have to."

Hinata's mouth fell open as she connected the dots. Itachi was stepping down for _him_. Her father was also putting the pieces of the situation and it did not seem to assuage his anger. His fists were still clenched at his sides and his jaw remained tight.

"Hinata, if you go through with this, it does not change the fact that you will have to give up your position as heir. Especially if you intend to tie yourself to the Uchiha. Hanabi will still take your place."

"No!" Hanabi shrieked drawing everyone's attention back to her since her heart rate monitor was escalating. "Please no! I don't want to be the heir!"

"Hanabi-" Hiashi warned sternly but this time she wouldn't listen.

"No! I will not do it! I don't want to be the heir. Please don't make me! I don't want to be miserable like you!"

The beeping of her monitor grew faster with each breath she took, if she didn't slow down she might send herself into a panic attack. Her protest was so adamant that even their father was taken aback. His face grew haggard as though this were one more revelation than he could handle for the day. The sound of her sister's distress hit harder than her father's disappointment. In the back of her mind, many months ago, she remembered Hanabi crawling into her bed and claiming that following the path set before her was something she was unsure of. At the time she'd brushed it off but now, with fat tears rolling down her cheeks, she could see that becoming heir was an unsuitable position for her sister. If she had followed her father's plan and married Gaara these tears would still be there only this time she would be crying with her. They'd both be locked into futures they did not want. Hinata released Sasuke's hand and walked over to Hanabi's bedside. Carefully she crawled into Hanabi's bed and wrapped the shaking girl in her arms.

"Shhhh." Hinata said softly as she ran her fingers through the girl's messy brown hair. "We don't have to figure out everything right now."

Hanabi's shoulders stopped shaking as she hid her face into her sister's embrace, embarrassed to look at anyone after her outburst. Hinata looked back up at their father who stood helpless before them. For the first time in his life, Hiashi Hyuuga had no idea what to do. For the first time in his life, he had to acknowledge that he'd made a mistake. He'd clipped the wrong stems of the rose bush and now the entire plant was on the verge of dying.

"Hanabi and I will remain here until the doctors have deemed it safe for her to be discharged." Hinata said firmly taking control of the situation. "We will decide what to do after that. Please return to the compound and we will inform you of our decision when we return."

Hiashi's eyes widen at how she spoke to him. No one would dare to regard the Hyuuga clan leader in such a way. At the moment however she didn't give a damn about traditions or decorum. Hanabi needed to rest and their father being there trying to put the weight of their clan onto the teen's shoulders was not helping matters. Quickly her father's shocked expression was replaced with his usual impassive mask as he turned sharply away from them and headed towards the door.

"Father." She said softly, returning once more to the daughter he was used to. "Be safe getting home."

 **….**

 **Monday, December 27, 2017, 6:10 pm**

 **Numazu Mountain Hospital**

 **...**

Hinata sighed she watched the sunset over the snowcapped mountains. The crisp wind blew through her hair. Sasuke really shouldn't be outside but he refused to sit still in his wheelchair and didn't want to remain inside of the hospital for longer than he had to. The only thing she was actually able to make him do was bundle up from head to toe and take slow steps around the rural hospital's small courtyard.

"Everything looks to be in order." He said breaking the silence between them as he closed the folder with her pregnancy test and health results. Hinata smiled at his clinical way of speaking and shuffled closer to him on the bench.

"Boy or girl." She asked. He let out a slow breath through his nose and if she hadn't been watching him so closely she would have missed his face grow redder.

"Girl." He mumbled sheepishly.

"I would have thought you'd want a boy." She teased but his face turned serious.

"Uchiha men are difficult to deal with."

"Speaking from experience?"

Sasuke smirked and stood up from the bench. He held his hand out to her and she took it happily.

"I was a fussy baby. An obnoxious child. An even worse teenager." He said as he pulled her along towards the hospital entrance. "I'd rather not go through that again with my own."

"You turned out kinda okay. You haven't killed anyone." She laughed and he shot her a weak glare.

They walked through the hospital lobby and towards the hallway that held his and Hanabi's rooms. Hinata hoped that her sister had now calmed down after her outburst from earlier. In a way, she blamed herself for not paying attention to what her sister wanted, for not listening to her more closely. She wasn't quite sure what to do about Hanabi's future and her own place within the clan but she had to think of something.

With a soft sigh, she pushed on the sliding door of Hanabi's room but she had only cracked it open when Sasuke placed a hand over hers to stop her. She looked up at him curiously but he placed a finger over his lips before pointing inside of the room. Inside of the room, Hanabi was still sitting in her hospital bed with all of her wires still attached and swamped in fur blankets. Itachi was sitting behind her with his fingers full of her hair and doing a terrible job at trying to braid it. The elder Hyuuga knew that Hanabi always enjoyed getting Itachi's attention but this time she looked so detached from everything around her.

"You have cried so much I'm afraid you're going to shrivel up into nothing." Itachi said as Hanabi pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them.

"You're leaving how else am I supposed to react?" She grumbled and swatted his hands from away from her head with her uninjured hand.

"Stop that." He reprimanded. "It's only for a short while."

Hinata glanced up at Sasuke to see if he'd known of his brother's impending departure. Instantly she knew that this was a surprise for him too. His grip on her hand tightened as his back turned rigid and his jaw clenched.

"Define a short while." Hanabi pouted as she begrudgingly allowed Itachi to resume his work on her messy hair.

"You will not even notice I'm gone." He said but her sister's face remained unconvinced. "You will start university in the fall and you will find many new things to occupy your time."

"I don't want to go to university."

Itachi's fingers untangled themselves from her hair and he leaned back against the headboard. Hanabi turned slightly to look back at him, slightly perplexed as to why he had stopped. For a long moment, they just stared at each other as a silent form of communication passed between them.

"Take me with you." She said breaking the silence and turning around fully to face him.

"Hana-"

"Please, Chi!" She begged and he poked her in the middle of her forehead.

"That won't work on me this time."

Undeterred, she continued to look up at him with those same big eyes that had managed to convince her older sister and Neji into letting her stay up well past her bedtime or looking the other way as she stole cookies from the kitchen. Itachi almost looked as though he would crack but he stayed firm in his rejection.

"You must start in the fall-"

"Plenty of people take a gap year. People say that traveling is good for 'broadening your horizons' or whatever and I don't want to go into school again straight away."

"You know a great many things that you don't want."

"Well, I've never been given an actual choice to decide what I want. Everything that has been given to me are things I'm _supposed_ to want. I've never had time to figure out what I really like just what I don't."

As Itachi appeared to stand his ground, her eyes fell and she leaned away from him. Her bottom lip quivered, cracking the man's resolve.

"I'll see what I can do." He sighed and Hanabi's face immediately brightened. "But _only_ for the summer. You will return to Konoha and begin university in the fall."

"But-" she started but Itachi shook his head.

"No buts. Take it or leave it."

Hanabi frowned slightly as she weighed the options in her head. Eventually, she nodded and a smile spread over her tired features. Itachi lazily motioned for her to come back to her previous between his legs and resumed his work trying to get her hair under control. Hinata's heartbeat slowed down as she watched her sister prattle on about more benign topics and color returned to her face. She had seen many sides to her little sister. From the day she was born til now she had believed she had the youngest member all figured out. Yet as she watched hope spread across the girl's face she couldn't help but feel hopeful as well.

Right now, Hanabi didn't care about getting married to a member of an influential clan. She didn't care to rise to power within their clan. She only wanted to be free even though she was unable to verbalize that desire. Trying to direct her down the paths that they thought would be best would only stifle her. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to grow up into a woman she was never meant to be. She only wished for Hanabi to be happy and she would do anything to make that happen.

Carefully Hinata closed the door and pulled out her phone. There was only one person in the world who cared about Hanabi's happiness just as much as she did and he would make a much better leader of their clan than both of them combined. Their father would need some convincing but this time he was the one who didn't have much of a choice. Sasuke squeezed her hand as he noticed the contact number on her phone. His dark eyes questioned her own, searching to see if she was sure. Her lips spread into a smile as she squeezed his hand back and pressed the phone to her ear. Like the overprotective hawk that he was, Neji picked up after only one ring. Her smile only grew wider when she could faintly hear Tenten's tired voice in the background asking what was wrong.

"Hello?"

 **….**

 **Friday, January 9, 2017, 3:36 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **...**

Sasuke frowned as he stepped out of his last meeting of the day which had involved him fully divesting himself of the Hyuuga shares to allow for new investors to buy them up. Since he'd held onto them for so long the buy-in price was much higher and there would be a spike in their stocks for at least a short time. When the Hyuuga stocks were released there was a mad dash to buy them up, it was almost sickening to watch old men stab each other in the back to get a seat at the table. If it had been any other day he would have enjoyed the spectacle. Sighing he looked down at his phone to check the time and his bad mood worsened. He had hoped to be able to make it to Hinata's first ultrasound appointment but the meeting had taken much longer than he'd anticipated.

' _Some things can't be helped. She understands that.'_

The words of his father rattled around in his head but they provided no solace for the guilt that racked through him as each minute ticked by. Before he knew it the time for her appointment had come and gone and he was still stuck rubbing elbows with greedy old men. By now she should be heading back to the compound, a fact he detested but that would change soon enough.

He pushed open the door to his office to find Sakura standing in front of his desk with a stack of papers in her hands. Her expression when he'd walked through the door was one of surprise as though she hadn't expected to see him return.

"Welcome back." She said with a soft smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Shrugging out of his suit coat, Sasuke walked around his desk to take a seat. "How are you feeling? It's not good to push yourself too hard too soon."

"Hn." He grunted.

His secretary was currently not in his good graces after her false claims to Hinata. The only reason why he hadn't fired her, which was the way he preferred to handle the situation, was because Hinata had asked him not to. She didn't want her friend to lose her job especially not one she was good at. The Hyuuga was much too kind for her own good and if he didn't watch out her nature would start to rub off on him. He continued to ignore Sakura as she walked around his desk to where he was sitting, he had too much work to do to entertain what she wanted.

"Sasuke...can we talk?" She asked as she nervously pushed some of her pink hair behind her ear.

He glanced at his computer screen. His email inbox was full of requests that were all marked for his immediate attention. He had a pile of paperwork he still needed to sign and a laundry list of other things he still had to do if he wanted to leave early enough for the day. Just then his phone vibrated loudly on the desk flashing that he had a message from Hinata.

"Another time Sakura." He said as he moved to pick up his phone but Sakura reached out and placed her hand over his.

"No. It's always 'Another time Sakura'. Well, another time is now."

Sasuke frowned at her impediment and slipped his hand away from hers. He turned in his chair so that he could face her fully and she shrank slightly under his gaze.

"Talk." He said flatly and the woman took a deep breath.

"These last three years I've enjoyed working by your side. However, I don't think that I can do that anymore." She started, her green eyes never wavering from his face. "I'm not able to think of you as my boss and asking for something like this wouldn't be right if I remained as _only_ your secretary."

"Sakura-" he interrupted, not liking where her statement may be leading. She shook her head and took a step closer to him, too close for his liking. He could smell the overtly fruity shampoo she used for her hair and it made his nose wrinkle.

"My feelings for you are not something that I can cut on and off like a switch and I just want to get this off of my chest."

Before he had time to process what she was saying, she leaned down and came dangerously close to kissing him. Her lips landed on his cheek, much too close to the corner of his lips.

"What do you think you're doing?" He said and the low tone of his voice caused her to take a half step back.

"I- I- I just-"

Another short vibration from his desk stopped her short in her sputtered explanation. Sakura's eyes widened as she watched the notification pop up on his screen. He knew without a doubt that Hinata had been the one to text him again since she was the only one that ever did.

"So it's true..." She mumbled. "After three years of being alone suddenly she swoops in and takes you."

Sakura took a step back from him with slumped shoulders and green eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"If she wasn't in the picture would you have given me a chance?" She asked, a glimmer of hope bubbling up to the surface that his feelings for Hinata were something that would pass.

His silence to her question spoke more than he could ever verbalize. He watched impassively as the hope in her eyes faded and was replaced with tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"Do you love her?"

His phone vibrated again and Sakura snatched it off of his desk in frustration. Sasuke rose to his feet ready to take the phone away from her but she'd already opened one of the messages. The office filled with the sound of Hinata's soft voice accompanied by something new. Something small but steady. Sakura dropped his phone back on his desk in shock at the sound.

 _"Sasuke...can you hear it?"_

The Uchiha froze as he listened to the sound of his child's heartbeat for the first time. Faintly he could hear Hinata's shaky breathing in the background and the whir of machines but the sound of the heartbeat was distinct. Then a female voice he didn't recognize inserted themselves into the recording and he had to stop himself from getting irritated at her interruption.

 _"This one is going to be a handful! Now for the other..."_

'Wait.' He thought. 'Other?'

A second heartbeat emerged just as strong as the first one. The sound of it made him sink back into his chair. There were two. Two actual living things. Two strong Uchihas growing inside of Hinata. The concept of having children was no longer an abstract concept. _They_ were real. As the realization washed over him Hinata's faint sniffles could be heard accompanying the second heartbeat.

 _"We-we're having t-twins!"_

 _"Oh don't cry! Here's a tissue!"_

That was where the recording ended and the office somehow felt a little colder without the heartbeats. He barely registered Sakura's presence as picked the phone up off the desk and pressed play to resume the recording.

 _''Sasuke...can you hear it?''_

He felt a smile begin to fight it's way to his lips as he listened again to the heartbeats of his future children. To the soft sound of Hinata crying and the underlying happiness in her voice as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she was carrying twins. He was so absorbed by the message replaying itself that he didn't even notice when the door to the office opened and shut. All he could do was press play.

 _"Sasuke... can you hear it?"_

 **...**

 **Friday, January 9, 2017, 4:11 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Get back here!"

Hinata smiled as she opened the door to the main house of the compound. The sound of Hanabi's heavy feet racing down the stairs echoed throughout the house. The newly minted eighteen-year-old jumped the last three steps of the winding staircase and launched herself towards where Hinata stood in the foyer. Layers of gold and cream fluttered around them as Hanabi hurled into her open arms. Inwardly Hinata smiled. _This_ was what she had wanted. Her little sister pulled away slightly as the sound of more, less dense, footsteps pattered down the stairs and grinned mischievously.

"Let me see!" She said eagerly, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I want to be the first one!"

The elder Hyuuga bit her bottom lip as she tried to hold back her own excitement. From her coat pocket, she retrieved the small square envelope the obstetrician had given her and pulled out the black and white ultrasound. Hanabi's greedy hands snatched it away and her eyes narrowed as she tried to make out what the image was. She turned the photo this way and that but still had trouble figuring out what she was looking at. Her casted hand held the picture steady while she pointed at the grainy picture with her good hand.

"So these things are living inside of you?" She said as her Hyuuga minders finally got their hands back on her.

Hinata nodded her head, an inexplicable sense of pride swelling within her despite her sister's odd looks. Against her will, Hanabi was pulled back up the stairs to finish getting ready for her ceremony that would take place in the evening. The girl protested the whole way until her bedroom door closed but Hinata couldn't help but smile. Once the Senju has discovered that her engagement to Gaara had been dissolved they had rescinded their approval for Konohamaru to have any contact with Hanabi. Her sister, however, took the rejection in stride claiming that all of the women in that family were phonies anyway whose husbands all had mistresses. Hinata was positive that her sister was only putting on a brave face but as her graduation date grew closer her sadness ebbed away.

When the door to her room finally slammed shut, Hinata walked through the first floor of the house until she came to her father's office. The expansive dark wood of the heavy double doors loomed in front of her. Before they'd proved to be an intimidating force with a promise that one day she would reside behind them. Now, they were only one last hurdle she needed to jump over. Confidently she twisted the brass doorknob and entered the room. She'd half expected it to be empty but was relieved to find her father standing there with his back to the door and a glass of amber liquid in his hand. Sure it was a bit early for a drink but she imagined he needed it after the chaos of the last few weeks. He stared out over the expansive grounds of the compound all in a flurry to get the last bit of the evening ceremony in order. Briefly, she wondered if he'd looked out over the gardens in a similar way for her own ceremony.

"Father." She said as she bowed low at her waist even though his back was turned to her.

He may not be able to see the gesture but she at least owed him the respect of going through the motions. He did not turn to acknowledge her presence but the muffled clinking of the ice against the glass let her know that he knew she was there. Biting her lower lip she pulled out another photo from the envelope and placed it on the ancient mahogany desk in the center of the room. A desk that had been passed down from generation to generation, the knicks and knots of which told a history no man would ever know. She would never sit behind this desk. Her children would likely never touch its varnish... She shook that train of thought from her head. Her future children would not have a place with the Hyuuga but the Uchiha was where they belonged, where _she_ belonged.

She turned back around and headed towards the door, her heart weighing heavy in her chest. The rustle of fabric caused her to pause just as she reached the door. Her father said nothing as he gingerly picked up the ultrasound. He placed his drink on the desk so that he could handle the image with two hands. A million thoughts passed across his eyes so quickly that she couldn't quite figure out what he was thinking. He never acknowledged her as he put the picture back down on the desk and turned to oversee the work outside once more. Hinata didn't mind. She knew with time, as with all things, he would come around. When he did, she would be there waiting for him.

 **….**

 **Friday, January 9, 2017, 5:25 pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Ready?" Hinata asked as she and Hanabi watched their older cousin pace back and forth in front of them.

Hanabi giggled behind the long sleeve of her golden kimono. She took great joy in watching the usually pristine Neji become unraveled at the edges. Hanabi might be all dolled up to look like the adult she was supposed to be but looks were very deceiving. Hinata wondered how long it would be before the many expensive hair ornaments her handlers had so painstakingly placed in her hair went missing.

"He kinda has to be. Don't tell me the great and powerful Neji is nervous?" Hanabi teased and the man in question shot her a glare.

"Haha." He said sarcastically and paused his pacing to smooth down the front of his dark grey hakama. "It's not this I'm nervous about."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and pulled out her cellphone to check the time. They were cutting it close but hopefully, they would be able to make it in time. Anxiously she traced her fingers over the embroidered silk of her lavender kimono, praying to herself that they would be able to leave on time. Meanwhile, Hanabi peeked through the curtains of the kitchen that led out to Hyuuga gardens and let out a low whistle.

"That's _a lot_ of people." She said. "Who knew we had this many family members?"

Curiosity getting the better of her, Hinata took a peek through the curtains as well. The sun was just starting to set behind the trees, casting a soft orange hue over the lush garden. Gathered within the area with barely enough room to move was every single person with known ties to the Hyuuga bloodline. Everyone from distant aunts to cousins twice removed were rubbing elbows with each other for an event that only happened once in a generation.

"Are you sure about this Hinata?" Neji asked.

Hinata stepped away from the window and towards her cousin who was staring at her with a furrowed brow. She took his right hand into both of her own and rubbed comforting circles over his open palm. Being the leader of the Hyuuga was something that she had wanted for as long as she could remember. It was something she had strived for in everything she did. She'd wanted to be worthy of the title, worth of the trust of their clan. All her life she'd placed all of her other desires on the backburner for this one goal.

"This is your birthright." Neji continued in a low voice. "You are supposed to head the clan."

Hinata shook her head and smiled up at him. If her Uncle had been the one to be born first the right to lead would have fallen to Neji not her. Only a minute separated her and cousin from a preordained path set forth by the clan. Only a minute. Now she was stepping aside willingly and allowing Neji to take the reigns from her. Her father was absolutely correct when he stated that for a rose bush to continue to flourish some blooms would need to be cut. Within her cousin, she could see their clan flourish. Neji knew everything about the company and just what it would take to ensure it's continued success. He would make a fine leader. Perhaps he'd be even better than her father.

"I believe in you Neji." She said simply just as the glass doors that led to the garden were opened.

Dressed in a simple black hakama, Ko motioned for the three of them to head into the event. Hanabi quickly scampered away from the curtains to her position behind her sister and Neji, quietly mumbling to herself their family's oath so she wouldn't forget. Hinata let go of Neji's hand in favor of looping her arm with his. With careful steps, Neji led the three of them through the mass of their family and friends towards the raised dais in the center of the garden where Hiashi stood behind a low table.

In a semi-circle around the table sat the four Hyuuga elders. Two men and two women who were not only the oldest among them but also considered the wisest. Through them, all of the most sensitive clan matters flowed through. When they reached the steps of the dais, Hinata let go of Neji and he proceeded the rest of the way without her. He approached her stone-faced father with a mask of equal impassivity before slowly lowering himself to his knees. With grace, he pressed his forehead against the floor of the stage right in front of Hiashi and the elders.

"Neji Hyuua." The fragile voice of one of the male elders began. "Son of the late Hizashi and now proposed leader to our great clan. Do you swear to uphold this clan and its success?"

"Yes."

"Do you swear to bring honor to those who bear our name and share our blood in their veins?"

"Yes."

"Do you swear to put the family, those who are living and dead, above all others?"

"Yes."

The elder paused for a moment as one of the servants set a pale white box on the center of the table. Hinata held her breath as one of the female elders opened the box and pulled out the long silk outer robe that had been passed down through their family for centuries. The pure white material appeared almost ethereal against the backdrop of the setting sun.

"What are the words of our family?" Hiashi asked, his deep voice booming over the crowd that had been gathered.

Stiffly Neji rose to his feet and squared his shoulders confidently. For a moment Hinata could not believe just how much he looked like her father.

"Family above all else. Duty to the cause. Honor what is right." He recited and Hiashi turned to the elder who was reverently holding their family heirloom.

Silently her father draped the heavy robe over Neji's shoulders and their family's crest laid perfectly on his back. Pride filled her as the clan members around herself and Hanabi lowered themselves to their knees just as Neji had done before and bowed low to the ground in respect for their new heir. She smiled as Neji turned around to face them all with his stern pale eyes. He still had a lot to learn about being the head of their clan but now his training under her father would begin. As the dying rays of the sun washed over them her father's booming voice emerged once more.

"I present to you, the future leader of the Hyuuga clan!"

 _ **To be continued...**_


	32. Happiness

**CCNote: First and foremost, thank you thank you thank you!**

 ** _To reviewers wondering about Itachi and Hanabi's relationship:_ Their relationship is open to your own personal interpretation. I specifically wrote all of their scenes throughout this story in a way that is ambiguous. Whatever  YOU decide their relationship is, that's what it is. Now, why does Hanabi want to tag along with Itachi? Well, she knows an awful lot about what she **_**doesn't**_ **want and not too much about what she does. She simply sees this as an opportunity to explore more of the world without her family's invisible hand guiding her every decision.**

 ** _To reviewers wondering why Sasuke didn't curse Sakura out or something:_ Sasuke's silence towards Sakura has always been the most heartbreaking/frustrating thing for her in the series. She just wants a response to her affection but he can't give that because he doesn't have one. Even in Boruto she's still only catching crumbs of affirmation and she had the man's kid (bleh). In real life, someone's silence hurts a lot more than their verbal rejection. Plus once he heard the sound of his children's heartbeats he really didn't give a shit about what Sakura thought or what she did. Have you ever heard the heartbeat of a child for the first time? It's an all-consuming thing, especially when it's your own. **

**_To reviewers wondering why Neji is now the future head:_ Hinata can't do it, Hanabi won't do it, and he is more than capable of taking over the position. Hinata can't be the leader of two clans. Sasuke is taking over the Uchiha since Itachi has stepped down. She will be the new Uchiha matriarch. Aside from the fact that Hiashi would never allow the Uchiha to govern the Hyuuga, it would be impossible for her to lead the Hyuuga AND the Uchiha AND take care of the twins. It would just be too much and unrealistic in this imaginary web I've weaved. While she didn't accomplish her goal of being Hyuuga head that doesn't make her a failure. You don't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, ya get what ya need! Lol, which is love. Love is all ya need. Ok, I'm done.**

 **Thanks for joining me on this long journey ya'll. This was my summer writing project while I warmed my desk and I'm so proud of myself for actually finishing even when work resumed. This was only possible because of your continued support and encouragement. Enjoy and please please leave a REVIEW!**

 **Happiness**

 **Friday, January 9, 2018, 5:26 pm**

 **Atami Shrine**

 **...**

The smell of incense mixed with the crisp winter air and ensconced the gathering within the shrine. The low murmur of a monks prayer was the only sound heard among them. At the time of Konoha's founding, the Atami Shrine had been built by the hands of the Uchiha. It sat on the outskirts of the city and was high enough that one could look out and see the sprawl of Konoha below. This was the place where all Uchihas were named when they were born and the place their ashes were added to when they died. The blood of the Uchiha ran through the steep steps that led up to this sacred place and ensconced within those stones were the hopes and dreams of them all.

In the center of the courtyard, Sasuke bit hard into the pad of his thumb and his blood immediately rushed to the break in his skin. He watched as the substance pooled enough to run down his thumb and onto his palm. Silently, Mikoto took his hand and gently pressed his thumb against the weathered parchment on the low table in front of them. On the scroll above his own print were the signatures of all the heads that had come before him. Their blood forever stained within the fibers of the parchment. The most recent mark was that of his father's. It was odd to see his signature next to the man he never thought he would stand beside yet there it was. He looked up from the signatures to lock eyes with his father across the table. All around them, members of their clan wore black as they sat seiza with rigid backs and expressionless obsidian eyes. Mikoto carefully lifted his hand from the parchment and one of the older members of the clan reverently removed it from the table to reside within its usual casing of mahogany.

His mother then moved slightly from his side to the midpoint between himself and his father on the roundtable. She upturned the wide-brimmed porcelain saucer before reaching for the bottle of sake. Carefully she poured the clear liquid into the saucer until it reached the brim. At that point, his father picked up the saucer and brought it to his lips. He drank all of its contents without flinching and placed the saucer back on the table to be refilled. This time it was Sasuke's turn to empty it. The firey sake burned his throat as it went down but he drank it all the same. The saucer hit the table again and his mother filled it up once more. This time Fugaku only drank half of the sake before handing the cup back to Sasuke who finished it off. When the saucer hit the table for the last time, Mikoto refilled it and passed the contents to her son. With two hands Sasuke lifted the saucer to his lips, his eyes never wavering from his father's, and drank the sake inside.

All around him his clan clapped boisterously as the ceremony was completed. Out of the corner of his eye to the right, he could see Itachi smiling proudly with Shisui nudging him in the arm. His mother brought him up to his feet and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're going to do great things." She whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

Sasuke was positive that if it was possible to die of happiness his mother was close to bursting. The Uchiha clansmen all rose to their feet as well and soon he was swamped with well-wishers and none too gentle claps on his back. Even though he'd already had sake, his family members were pouring more for him to celebrate his ascension. He'd have to pace himself if he wanted to get through the rest of the night with his wits about him.

"Congratulations young Sasuke!" His Uncle Madara said boisterously as he threw a heavy arm around his shoulders. "Perhaps now we can talk about some business ventures your father is too afraid to get into. He was never much of a risk taker."

"Now now Uncle. It's not about risk it's about profitability." Itachi interrupted smoothly and Madara bristled slightly.

"Are you trying to say my ideas aren't profitable?"

"No. I'm just saying they aren't any good." Itachi said with a smile. "Come, little brother. I believe one of our great aunts is looking for our Uncle."

Sasuke smirked as a guilty look flashed across Madara's face and he slipped away into the crowd of their clan members.

"Smooth Itachi." He said appreciatively as Itachi led him towards the edge of the shrine.

"You will learn how to deal with Uncle Madara in time." His older brother replied, gravel crunching beneath their feet."He is one of the best our clan has to offer but he does have a few screws loose. If you're not careful he'll convince you he's sane."

Sasuke nodded his head pensively as he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. Itachi stood next to him, their shoulders touching as they looked out at the bustling city below. While Sasuke enjoyed this moment alone with his brother, moments which were quickly becoming fewer and far between, he couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Why was Itachi so willing to give up his position? There was no reason he needed to leave. If their father had split the company in half why must Itachi step down?

"I can hear you thinking." Itachi teased and Sasuke frowned. "Don't think so much. Today is a good day."

Itachi was correct, today was objectively one of the best days of his life but why did it feel as though something was missing? Something wasn't quite adding up.

"Where are you going Itachi?" He asked and for a moment he was afraid Itachi wasn't going to answer.

"I'm not sure yet." He replied finally and Sasuke tore his eyes away from the city lights to stare at him slackjawed. Itachi only smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't stare with your mouth open like that. Birds will make a nest."

"Cut the jokes Itachi. There's no reason for you to leave. You should be the head, not me."

Itachi sighed but didn't turn to look at him. His dark hair which was usually pulled back into a low ponytail hung freely around his shoulders and the winter wind tussled the strands.

"Do you remember when I told you I wasn't going to accept the heir position when Father stepped down?" Itachi asked and Sasuke nodded stiffly, not sure what his brother was getting at. "You immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was leaving you. I have never lied to you but that night I did."

"Why?"

"Why does anyone do anything Sasuke?" Itachi said as he let out a deep breath. "We are all selfish creatures. Sometimes we have reasons other times we don't."

The younger Uchiha frowned. At times he felt so close to his brother. He'd taken the last few months for granted and now his brother was pushing him away again. That same feeling of being small and reaching out for his brother's coattails started to resurface. Would he ever be able to catch up to Itachi? To understand him?

"I can still hear you thinking." Itachi said with a deep sigh as he finally turned away from the railing to face him.

He then poked Sasuke in the middle of his forehead and smiled.

"Congratulations, little brother."

….

 **Friday, January 9, 2018, 6:30 pm**

 **Downtown Konoha**

 **...**

"Come on, come on, come on!" Hanabi chanted as their driver slowly pulled up to the street that led to the newly renovated dojo only a few blocks away. "We're going to miss all of the good parts!"

Hinata looked out the window at the traffic ahead of them. A small but slow motorcade was entrapped by flashing lights and cars and blocking the normal flow of city traffic. Her sister's nervous energy was rubbing off on all of them and wasn't helping their patience. It had taken their best stealth skills to escape from the regular semantics of a Hyuuga led ceremony, they hadn't even had time to change out of their formal attire. Just when they thought they were in the clear they were blocked by a handful of cars that had no idea how to drive. All around them cars honked their horns in an effort to get the motorcade to move but to no avail.

"Dammit." Neji cursed under his breath and opened the door of their stalled car despite the protests of their driver. The newly inducted Hyuuga leader hopped out of the car, the insignia of the clan emblazoned boldly on his back as he marched through the traffic towards the dojo.

"Now _this_ is more like it!" Hanabi cheered as she climbed out of the car behind Neji and hiked the skirts of her golden kimono up so that she could catch up to his long stride.

Hinata sighed and bowed apologetically to their driver before getting out of the car to follow her family. All around her cars honked angrily at the traffic jam that kept everyone stuck in their cars. No one was getting anywhere on a Friday night and everyone was no doubt frustrated by the obstruction. Hanabi and Neji were a bit further up from her and had made it to the other side of the street safely. When they noticed that she had fallen behind them, they both began to weave their way through the stalled traffic again to get back to her. She wasn't much further away from catching up to them when a deep booming voice called out to her.

"Hinata!"

She whirled around quickly only to bump into a hard chest. She would have fallen if the person she'd bumped into hadn't have caught her. Sheepishly she looked up at her savior to find Sasuke's dark eyes staring angrily down at her. Despite how angry his face was, she couldn't help but blush at the sight of him in his all-black suit. Why did he have to look so perfect all the time?

"What the hell are you doing running in the street?" He growled as Itachi ran up to their side.

"Dammit, Sasuke!" He said as he tried to catch his breath. "Don't jump out of moving vehicles!"

"We were at a crawl." Sasuke snapped back.

"That was not a crawl!"

"Yo bastard!" A boisterous voice shouted from the sunroof of one of the limousines that were causing the traffic jam.

Naruto waved at them eagerly from the roof's opening dressed in a black tuxedo and bright orange bowtie. The paparazzi vehicles that were trying to take his picture went wild. So did the car horns. The door to Naruto's limo swung open and Temari stepped out with Ino in tow. She wore a jaw-droppingly low cut red dress while Ino wore a light blue off the shoulder gown. Behind them, Shikamaru got out of the limo with his arms full of their coats that they'd neglected to put on. Clearly, they were eager to escape the confines of paparazzi fishbowl.

"Hey wait up!" Naruto called and jogged after them.

The paparazzi tried to get out of their vehicles to follow them on foot but Naruto's motorcade blocked them in. Bodyguards spilled from the vehicles to form a human shield around the would-be chasers and Hinata could only stand in awe at how dedicated they were. The bodyguards could not stop the regular citizens from taking pictures though. Since this area of downtown was at a gridlock, drivers parked their vehicles in the middle of the street and people scrambled out of their cars to get a first-hand look at their future Hokage. Soon the poor blonde was swamped with requests to take pictures with admirers and camera phones were pointed in his direction as far as the eye could see.

"Hey, Hyuuga!" Temari said as weaved through the growing mass of people. A burly taxi driver honked at her as she stepped in front of it but she slapped the front of his hood hard with the palm of her hand. "No one's moving asshole! You're trapped anyway!"

The taxi driver honked at her again but she merely flipped her short blonde hair over her shoulder and gave him the finger with her free hand. When she and Ino reached their group she looked Hinata up and down with an inquisitive eye and nodded her approval.

"You look a lot warmer than I am in all those layers." she said and Shikamaru mumbled something about how she'd be warmer if she just put on a coat. His comment only earned him a wave of Temari's hand. "Congratulations by the way."

"W-w-what?" Hinata stammered, taken aback by the blonde's statement. Gaara's sister was the _last_ person in the world she would ever expect to receive such a sentiment from.

"Did you expect me to tear your head off?" Temari smirked. "I'm happy that you _aren't_ marrying my brother. I wouldn't wish the position of Sabaku matriarch on my worst enemy to be honest. In any case, I don't think you'd be good for Gaara. He needs a pusher. You don't strike me as a pusher."

"T-thank you...I think..."Hinata said with a slight bow of her head.

She wasn't quite sure whether to take Temari's statement as an insult or a compliment. Either way, at least she wasn't mad. Right behind them, a black car honked as Naruto bumped up against one of its lights in an effort to escape the barrage of citizen affection.

"Come on!" Hanabi huffed as she and Neji finally reached them. "We don't have time to stand in the street!"

As the others all hurried out of the packed street, Hinata smiled up at Sasuke who was still rather miffed about her being in the middle of the street. She stood up on her toes and extended her height as far as she could to press a short kiss to his jaw. Almost immediately is brow smoothed out slightly and his frown became a little less harsh.

"Don't let me see you run into the street again." He said firmly and Hinata did her best to not laugh at him. For some reason, she found a worried Sasuke hilarious. He, on the other hand, did not. "Do you find this situation amusing Hyuuga?"

He raised an eyebrow as her smile widened. Carefully she took a step back from him and nodded her head.

"You are defying the will of the head of the Uchiha."

His low voice sent a shiver through her body and her face immediately became flushed. She took another step away from him. He easily crossed the short distance between them and brought her body up against his by placing a firm hand on her lower back just over her lavender obi. Hinata squeaked in surprise although the sound was drowned out by the chaos around them. He leaned down as pressed his lips close to her ear to ensure that she could hear him.

"I'll have to punish you for your reckless behavior Hyuuga. It's unacceptable."

His hand moved up from her obi and spine to hold the back of her neck. Instinctively her eyes fluttered shut as he moved his lips from near her ear to her mouth. That spark that always happened whenever he kissed her spread throughout her entire body. Gently he bit her bottom lip and she automatically opened her mouth to let him explore. Faintly, she could taste sake on his tongue.

"Quit playing in traffic and come on!" Naruto yelled over the blaring of the car horns.

She felt Sasuke smirk against her lips before pulling away. She blushed even redder than she thought possible as she realized all of the camera phones were now pointed at them and had captured such an intimate moment. Sasuke, meanwhile, didn't seem to mind as he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the lanes of parked cars.

 **….**

 **Friday, January 9, 2018, 6:45 pm**

 **Hidden Leaf Dojo**

 **...**

If they were the center of attention in the middle of a traffic jam, their group was certainly the main attraction inside of the Gai's newly renovated dojo. The fact that they were with Naruto was enough of a cause for the crowd to turn away from the match on the mat. The fact that they were all entirely overdressed for the occasion didn't help either. Tenten stared at them in shock from her seat beside her younger students who tugged at the sleeves of her white judogi. Hinata waved sheepishly at the brunette half apologetically for being late and half for causing such a stir.

They all had other obligations tonight, Tenten didn't expect for any of them to even make it to the showcase. It happened every year and was only a bunch of kids badly breaking blocks of wood in half for their family. However, Hinata and Ino had never missed the new year's showcase in all the time they'd known Tenten. It would be a crime if they missed it now. As inconspicuously as possible they found seats near the outer wall that Sakura had saved for them. Unlike them, she was wearing a regular pair of jeans and a bright red Christmas sweater. She was much more appropriately dressed for the venue than the suits, kimonos, and ballgowns they were wearing.

Hinata attempted to catch Sakura's attention by waving at the pink haired woman from her end of the row but she never looked her way. She opened her mouth to say something but the smallest members of the dojo were trotted out proudly by Lee and quickly absorbed all of her attention. Her heart fluttered as Lee enthusiastically led the children through a series of easy exercises. Sasuke smirked at a dark-haired little boy who was facing the wrong direction but still thought he was hot stuff. She nudged him with her elbow and he looked down at her surprised.

"What?" He whispered and she only sniffed at him.

"Don't laugh." She whispered back as he rolled his eyes. "That might be one of your sons one day."

"Uchiha men know better but I thought I requested a daughter?" He said with a barely contained smirked.

"That's not the way it works." She replied, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

It was still much too early to tell the gender of the twins but last night she had an extremely vivid dream of a dark-haired little boy with big black eyes. Now that she knew she was carrying twins she could be carrying a boy and a girl. Or they could both be girls. Call it mother's intuition but she felt that the twins were boys. Both of them were no larger than the size of small kumquats but somehow she was sure she was having boys.

The dark haired boy was finally turned in the right direction by Lee and was just as adamant as all of the other children with his yells. Sasuke's hand slid over hers and their fingers intertwined automatically. While she wanted to remain in her seat and watch the adorable scene on the mat the urge to use the bathroom started nagging her in the back of her mind. Using the restroom with all of the layers she currently had on was going to be a hassle that was best dealt with when her bladder wasn't near to bursting. As she got up from her seat she gave Sasuke's hand a light squeeze so that he would release her.

Quickly she made her way to the restroom and relieved herself after fighting with all of the layers of lavender silk she had on. After washing her hands she adjusted herself in the mirror to make sure that nothing was sticking out that wasn't supposed to when the bathroom door swung open violently. She jumped in surprise as Sakura marched into the bathroom with red-rimmed eyes that were holding back tears.

"Sakura?" She asked, surprised that her friend would be so upset at a time like this. "Are you alright?"

Sakura sucked in her teeth and crossed her arms over her chest. Nervously, Hinata pulled at the wide sleeves of her kimono, uncomfortable under Sakura's scrutinizing gaze.

"Are you happy now?" She spat as she took a step closer to the Hyuuga. "Do you feel special since you somehow managed to get his attention?"

"What?" Hinata questioned, her brow furrowing with confusion at what exactly Sakura was angry for. The woman only rolled her eyes and leaned against one of the free-standing bathroom sinks.

"Don't act all innocent." Sakura sneered. "You spread your legs for Gaara and Sasuke. Should Ino be worried that you'll try to snatch Naruto next?"

Hinata narrowed her eyes as she cut off the water running from the faucet and reached for the paper towels. She wasn't quite sure what Sakura's deal was but it was uncalled for. She moved away from the sink to leave the bathroom but Sakura blocked her path.

"That night we went on that double date you didn't leave alone did you? All of those rumors, they were true weren't they?" She laughed. "I defended you like an idiot but you're just a whore like everyone said."

"Sakura please move out of the way-" Hinata started as she tried to move around her but Sakura pushed her back.

"You're supposed to be my friend. What kind of friend sleeps with the man her friend likes huh? What kind of friend is that!"

Hinata took two steps away from Sakura who's bright green eyes she no longer recognized. Sakura followed her movements until she'd cornered her up against the wall furthest away from the exit.

"He's only with you because you were stupid enough to get pregnant." Sakura hissed. "He would never think twice about you otherwise."

Pursing her lips, Hinata clenched her fists at her side. So that was what this was. After all of the denial, all of the brushing off, Sakura now showed her true colors. That night she'd overheard Sakura talking to Ino wasn't just a misunderstanding. She really was after Sasuke. Unfortunately for Sakura some of Sasuke's ruthlessness had rubbed off on her. While she cared for the woman as a friend she did not appreciate her cornering her alone in a bathroom. Squaring her shoulders back she stared back up at Sakura and moved closer into the woman's personal space.

"You had three years." She said simply just as the bathroom opened. Temari stepped in, her green eyes flitting between them curiously.

"Is everything okay?" The blonde asked and Hinata nodded her head, a fake smile on her lips.

"I have always considered you a close friend Sakura. I'm sorry that my actions have hurt you." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But if you try to back me into a corner again I will be forced to change that opinion."

Sakura hesitated for a moment and took a step back while Temari crossed her arms over her chest. The blonde narrowed her eyes at Sakura who she'd deemed public enemy number one since they'd first crossed paths at the Winter Estate. Hinata gave a curt nod of her head to Temari before stepping around Sakura and heading towards the door.

"I would suggest you take a leave of absence. Use as much time as you need to sort through all of your feelings. When you return, if you still want to work for us, the Uchiha will find a position that is much more suitable for you."

 **….**

 **Friday, January 9, 2018, 7:00 pm**

 **Hidden Leaf Dojo**

 **...**

Sasuke looked up as Hinata returned to his side, her normally soft demeanor was hard as she took her seat. He raised an eyebrow questioningly and she returned the gesture with a small shake of her head. He allowed his curiosity to be muted for the time being. Hinata would tell him what happened soon enough. He grabbed her hand again just as Tenten brought all of the dojo's students out to the mat. The group bowed to the audience and were met with a boisterous amount of applause. At least they were until the lights went out.

Hinata edged closer to him in the dark and rested her cheek against his arms. The lights were cut back on but this time the mat was free from all of the students and only Tenten was left perplexed in the middle. Off to the side, two odd-looking men with extremely bushy eyebrows could barely contain themselves as they giggled to one another and kept the small children from crawling back onto the mat. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk as Neji stepped up onto the mat, looking entirely out of place in his formal attire.

"Neji!" Tenten whispered worriedly. "What are you doing?"

"Something I should have done when you proposed the first time." He said and pulled out a small black box from the inside of his robes.

Instantly Tenten's hands flew to her mouth as he opened the box and presented her with the ring. Sasuke had been there when the Hyuuga had picked the ring out with Naruto. While they'd spent hours trying to pick out the perfect ring to suit Neji's picky standards, he'd been keeping an eye for one himself. They'd only been in the jeweler's for half an hour when the ring had jumped out at him. It was a simple white-gold ring inlaid with an opal at the center. Nothing too flashy but he couldn't stop staring at it. The ring now resided within one of his dresser drawers, waiting for the day that he would have a need for it. He wasn't quite sure when that day would be but he was certain Hinata would prefer if she didn't have to waddle down the aisle.

"Neji!" She said breathlessly and threw her arms around his neck.

The two only managed to get less than a second to themselves before their legs were glommed onto with the younger students and the two bushy-browed adults got in on the hug.

"This is so beautiful!" The older man cried and his near clone repeated the sentiment.

Ino was the first of their odd group to run down to the mats, the skirts of her long blue dress gathered in her arms so that she could move more easily. She nearly tackled her roommate with a hug much to Naruto's disdain. Sasuke was positive that keeping up with Ino was going to give his friend a heart attack well before their baby was due. Hinata got up as well and pulled his hand for him to follow her as the rest of their friends joined the chaos on the mat.

Silently, he watched as she let go of his hand to go personally congratulate her cousin and friend on their engagement. Hanabi skipped up to her sister's side and they both kissed Neji's cheeks. Unfortunately for Neji, Hanabi's kisses also came with multiple punches in his arm. Hinata's laughter at her family's antics made his own lips twitch with a smile that threatened to come to the surface. As he continued to watch her, he couldn't help but take note for the thousandth time that night just how beautiful she looked. This Hyuuga woman had somehow managed to turn him into a sap. Her eyes caught his and she waved him over to come join the fray.

"Alright alright!" One of the dojo instructors shouted over the noise of the congregation with a camera in their hand. "Get in close, we need a picture!"

Soon he was pushed in every direction as children ran in between his legs to find their ideal spot to take a picture. So many small feet and fingers were waving around that he worried he might step on someone. Hinata's slender hand found his in the chaos and pulled him over to stand next to Naruto and Ino.

"You looked like you needed some help." She said with a smile as she gave his hand a small squeeze.

Ignoring the fact that they were being slightly jostled by everyone trying to pack themselves in tight, he leaned down and pressed his lips near her temple.

"I love you." He whispered.

Pale eyes grew even wider and a pink blush spread over her cheeks. Slowly he pulled his lips away and straightened his back. If he kept looking at her shocked expression he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her senseless.

"Make sure you smile bastard!" Naruto laughed as he threw an arm around the Uchiha's shoulders.

When the instructor finally got everyone into the frame, he leaned back and aimed the camera at the odd assemblage of individuals. A collection of people that ranged from Suna to Konoha. A group that contained two powerful families that had been feuding against one another since before their country was founded. People who were as powerful as the future Hokage and as common as a dojo instructor. Their group was unique, to say the least, but there was no doubt about the happiness that flowed between them. The happiness that radiated off of the woman beside him. If saying those three little words made her smile that big he'd say them every day until her smile was forever etched into his mind. Even then he'd continue to say it.

"Say cheese!"

 **The End**

 **CCNote: You made it all the way to the end! Thank you for reading! Don't forget to click that review button! Until next time!**


	33. A is for Uchiha

**CCNote:** **A is for Uchiha is up and ready to read! Please go check it out!**


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